Liedtext (Lyrics)
Der vollständige Liedtext von „Meine Hände sind verschwunden“ mit englischer Übersetzung.
Meine Hände sind verschwunden, ich habe keine Hände mehr! Ei, da sind die Hände wieder! Tra la la la la la la.
#Meine Nase ist verschwunden, ich habe keine Nase mehr. Ei, da ist die Nase wieder. Tra la la la la la la.
#Meine Augen sind verschwunden, ich habe keine Augen mehr. Ei, da sind die Augen wieder. Tra la la la la la la.
#Meine Ohren sind verschwunden, ich habe keine Ohren mehr. Ei, da sind die Ohren wieder. Tra la la la la la la.
#Meine Finger sind verschwunden, ich habe keine Finger mehr. Ei, da sind die Finger wieder. Tra la la la la la la.
#Mein Mund, der ist verschwunden, ich habe keinen Mund mehr. Ei, da ist der Mund wieder. Tra la la la la la la.
#English translation
My hands have disappeared, I have no hands any more! Oh, there are the hands again! Tra la la la la la la. My nose has disappeared, I have no nose any more. Oh, there is the nose again. Tra la la la la la la. My eyes have disappeared, I have no eyes any more. Oh, there are the eyes again. Tra la la la la la la. My ears have disappeared, I have no ears any more. Oh, there are the ears again. Tra la la la la la la. My fingers have disappeared, I have no fingers any more. Oh, there are the fingers again. Tra la la la la la la. My mouth, it has disappeared, I have no mouth any more. Oh, there is the mouth again. Tra la la la la la la.
#Meine Hände sind verschwunden at a glance
- Country of origin
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Sung in
- German
- Words by
- Traditional
- First known
- traditional; author unknown
- Best for ages
- 2–7
- Mood
- playful, traditional
- Last updated
- 25 July 2026
Meaning and origin
This is peekaboo turned into a song. Hands, nose, eyes, ears, fingers, mouth — each one in turn “disappears” (hidden behind the back or covered up) and is mourned for a moment, before popping triumphantly back into view with Ei, da sind die Hände wieder! and a delighted “tra la la”. For a very small child, the brief loss and happy return of each body part is endlessly satisfying.
It is a traditional crèche and playgroup song with no known author — one of those pieces that exists only because grown-ups keep singing it to toddlers. Beneath the game it does quiet work: it names the parts of the body one by one and lets a child practise finding them, so that learning “here are my ears, here is my nose” feels like the best joke in the world.
Common questions
- How do you play "Meine Hände sind verschwunden"?
- It is a hide-and-reveal game. You hide your hands behind your back and sing that they have "disappeared" — then whip them out again with "Ei, da sind die Hände wieder!" ("Oh, there are the hands again!") and a happy "tra la la". Each verse does the same with a different part: nose, eyes, ears, fingers, mouth.
- What is "Meine Hände sind verschwunden" for?
- Naming and finding the parts of the body. For very young children (from about two) it turns learning "hands, nose, eyes, ears" into a game of peekaboo, which is why it is a favourite in crèches and playgroups.
- Who wrote "Meine Hände sind verschwunden"?
- The author is not known. It is a traditional action song passed on by word of mouth in German kindergartens; no composer or writer is recorded for it.
