steering wheel
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steering wheel
The wheel in a vehicle with which the driver controls the direction of the wheels and therefore the direction of travel.
Er hielt das Lenkrad mit beiden Händen fest und konzentrierte sich auf die Straße.
He held the steering wheel firmly with both hands and focused on the road.
'Lenkrad' (steering wheel) is made up of the verb 'lenken' (to steer) and the noun 'Rad' (wheel). So it is literally the wheel with which you steer a vehicle.
Moderne Autos haben viele Knöpfe direkt am Lenkrad.
Modern cars have many buttons directly on the steering wheel.
The expression 'am Lenkrad sitzen' means 'to drive a vehicle' or literally 'to sit at the steering wheel'. It is also used metaphorically to express that someone is in control.
Wer saß zum Zeitpunkt des Unfalls am Lenkrad?
Who was behind the wheel at the time of the accident?
Common verbs that describe what you do with a steering wheel are 'das Lenkrad festhalten' (to hold the steering wheel), 'drehen' (to turn), or 'einschlagen' (to turn quickly and sharply).
Um die Kurve zu schaffen, musste er das Lenkrad stark einschlagen.
To make the turn, he had to turn the steering wheel sharply.
steering wheel / helm
Steuer is a general term for the steering mechanism of various vehicles and can also be used for a car. Lenkrad refers more specifically to the wheel that turns inside a vehicle. Steuer works when talking about steering in general, while Lenkrad is usually more precise for the specific part.
Vor der Fahrt stellt Lea das Lenkrad etwas höher.
Before driving, Lea raises the steering wheel a little.
Während der Fahrt behält Lea beide Hände am Steuer.
Lea keeps both hands on the wheel while driving.
