kehren
to sweep
To clean the floor with a broom by sweeping dirt and dust together.
EXAMPLE
Jeden Samstag muss ich den Hof kehren.
Every Saturday I have to sweep the yard.
kehren
to sweep / turn
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Meanings
jemandem den Rücken kehren
to turn one's back on someone
To end a relationship or contact with someone and deliberately turn away from that person.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem heftigen Streit hat er seiner besten Freundin den Rücken gekehrt.
After the heated argument, he turned his back on his best friend.
etwas unter den Teppich kehren
to sweep something under the rug
To try to hide or cover up a problem, mistake, or unpleasant fact instead of dealing with it.
EXAMPLE
Die Leitung versuchte, die finanziellen Probleme der Firma unter den Teppich zu kehren.
Management tried to sweep the company's financial problems under the rug.
kehren
to turn around
To make a 180-degree turn or reversal; to change direction completely. Today it is used almost only as a command (e.g., in the military) or in derived words like 'Kehrtwende' (about-face / U-turn).
EXAMPLE
Der Feldwebel schrie: „Kompanie, kehrt!“
The sergeant shouted, 'Company, about-face!'
in sich kehren
to turn inward
To withdraw in order to calmly think about oneself, one's thoughts, and feelings; to meditate or reflect.
EXAMPLE
Im Kloster hatte er endlich Zeit, in sich zu kehren und über sein Leben nachzudenken.
In the monastery, he finally had time to turn inward and think about his life.
Usage tips
Core meaning: 'turning'
The basic meaning of 'kehren' is 'to make a turn.' This idea appears in all meanings: when sweeping with a broom (moving/turning dirt), in the military about-face, or in idioms like 'jemandem den Rücken kehren' (to turn one's back on someone).
EXAMPLE
Mit einer schnellen Bewegung kehrte er den Schmutz auf ein Kehrblech.
With a quick movement, he swept the dirt onto a dustpan.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'fegen' (to sweep), 'kehren' is usually combined with places that have a floor or ground surface. Typical phrases are 'den Hof kehren' (to sweep the yard), 'die Straße kehren' (to sweep the street), or 'den Bürgersteig kehren' (to sweep the sidewalk).
EXAMPLE
Der Hausmeister muss jeden Morgen den Eingangsbereich kehren.
The caretaker has to sweep the entrance area every morning.
Fixed expression with dative
The idiom 'jemandem den Rücken kehren' (to turn one's back on someone) is fixed. The person one turns away from is always in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem großen Verrat hat sie ihm für immer den Rücken gekehrt.
After the great betrayal, she turned her back on him forever.
Fixed expression
'Etwas unter den Teppich kehren' (to sweep something under the rug) is a fixed idiom. The thing one wants to conceal is the accusative object of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Die Firma hat versucht, den Skandal unter den Teppich zu kehren.
The company tried to sweep the scandal under the rug.
Register and style
The meaning 'sich umdrehen' (to turn around) is now outdated. You find it almost only in military commands ('Kehrt!' = About-face!) or in fixed nouns like 'die Kehrtwende' (a complete change of direction or opinion).
EXAMPLE
In der Politik gab es eine überraschende Kehrtwende bei diesem Thema.
In politics, there was a surprising about-face on this issue.
Fixed expression
The expression 'in sich kehren' (to turn inward) means to take time for self-reflection. The pronoun 'sich' is a fixed part of the phrase here.
EXAMPLE
Nach der anstrengenden Woche wollte er am Wochenende nur in sich kehren.
After the exhausting week, he just wanted to turn inward over the weekend.
Compare with
kehren vs wenden
to turn / contact
Wenden and kehren can both describe a complete change of direction. In everyday German today, wenden is the usual verb for this. In this meaning, kehren is now used mostly in commands and sounds unusual outside such situations.
kehren
Der Offizier befiehlt den Soldaten: „Kehrt um und marschiert zurück!“
The officer orders the soldiers: “Turn around and march back!”
wenden
Der Fahrer wendet am Ende der Straße und fährt zurück.
The driver turns around at the end of the street and drives back.
In real life
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