01
geradewegs
straight / directly
By the most direct route, without detours or deviations from the direction.
example
Er ging geradewegs auf die Bühne zu und nahm den Preis entgegen.
He went straight toward the stage and accepted the prize.
geradewegs
straight / directly
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
This adverb is made up of 'gerade' (straight) and the genitive of 'Weg' ('Wegs') (way/path). So it literally means 'by a straight way' and describes movement that proceeds directly and without detours.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind lief geradewegs auf seine Mutter zu.
The child ran straight toward its mother.
Sentence position
As an adverb, 'geradewegs' (straight/directly) can stand flexibly in the sentence. It can stand in position 1, in which case the verb follows directly after it. It can also stand in the middle of the sentence to describe the manner of the action.
EXAMPLE
Geradewegs steuerte er auf das Ziel zu.
Straight ahead, he headed toward the goal.
Typical collocations
In its literal meaning, 'geradewegs' (straight/directly) is often combined with verbs of movement and an indication of direction. Typical patterns are 'geradewegs auf etwas zugehen' (to walk straight toward something), 'geradewegs nach Hause fahren' (to drive straight home), or 'geradewegs ins Zentrum laufen' (to run/walk straight into the center).
EXAMPLE
Nach der Arbeit fahre ich geradewegs nach Hause.
After work, I drive straight home.
Context clue
The figurative meaning is often recognizable from verbs like 'zusteuern' (to head toward), 'führen' (to lead), or 'schlittern' (to slide/slip into). The context then usually describes an unavoidable, often negative outcome such as a 'Katastrophe' (catastrophe), a 'Problem' (problem), or 'den Ruin' (ruin).
EXAMPLE
Mit seiner riskanten Strategie steuert das Unternehmen geradewegs auf die Pleite zu.
With its risky strategy, the company is heading straight for bankruptcy.
Compare with
geradewegs vs direkt
direct
'direkt' and 'geradewegs' can both mean that you go or travel to a destination without a detour. 'direkt' is more general and very common: you can drive 'direkt nach Hause' (directly home), go 'direkt zum Bahnhof' (directly to the station), or have a 'direkte Verbindung' (direct connection). 'geradewegs' puts stronger emphasis on the clear direction toward the destination and often sounds a bit more vivid or like a deliberate movement. It fits especially well when someone goes somewhere immediately and without deviating. For ordinary routes, 'direkt' is usually more neutral.
geradewegs
Nach dem Streit ging sie geradewegs aus dem Zimmer.
After the argument, she went straight out of the room.
direkt
Nach der Nachricht ist er direkt zum Bahnhof gefahren.
After the message, he went directly to the train station.
In real life
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