01
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
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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The meaning 'sich umdrehen' (to turn around) is now outdated.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 have to do with a turn or a change of direction. 'wenden' is much more common in everyday language, for example when you drive a car in the other direction or turn something over onto the other side. 'kehren' in this meaning sounds rather fixed or specialized today, for example as a command or in words like 'Kehrtwende' (about-face / U-turn). In addition, 'kehren' very often also means 'to clean with a broom', which has nothing to do with 'wenden'. Learners may confuse the words because both can sometimes express a reversal. In normal everyday situations, 'wenden' is usually more natural for turning or turning around.
kehren
Auf dem Platz kehrten die Soldaten auf Befehl und marschierten zurück.
In the square, the soldiers turned around on command and marched back.
wenden
Der Fahrer musste am Ende der Straße wenden.
The driver had to turn around at the end of the street.
In real life
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