return journey
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return journey
The trip or flight back to the starting point of a journey.
Die Rückreise von Italien nach Deutschland dauerte wegen des Staus sehr lange.
The return journey from Italy to Germany took a very long time because of the traffic jam.
'Rückreise' is made up of the prefix 'rück-' (back) and 'die Reise' (the journey). So it literally means 'the journey back'.
Wir planen unsere Rückreise für Sonntagabend.
We are planning our return journey for Sunday evening.
The prefix 'Rück-' is very productive and always means a movement or a connection back to the starting point. Other examples are 'der Rückweg' (the way back), 'der Rückflug' (the return flight), or 'die Rückkehr' (the return).
Der Rückflug war deutlich günstiger als der Hinflug.
The return flight was significantly cheaper than the outbound flight.
A very common and somewhat formal expression is 'die Rückreise antreten'. It means to begin the journey back.
Nach zwei Wochen Urlaub mussten wir schweren Herzens die Rückreise antreten.
After two weeks of vacation, we had to begin the return journey with a heavy heart.
return
'die Rückkehr' and 'die Rückreise' both have to do with coming back after a trip. However, 'die Rückreise' mainly refers to the way back, that is, the ride, flight, or journey itself. 'Die Rückkehr' puts more emphasis on the moment or the fact that someone is back at the starting point or at home. Learners may confuse the words because both fit after a stay somewhere else. As a simple guide: for trains, flights, routes, and planning, 'Rückreise' often fits. For arriving or being back, 'Rückkehr' is usually better.
Unsere Rückreise beginnt am Montag mit dem frühen Zug.
Our return journey begins on Monday with the early train.
Wegen des Wetters war die Rückkehr der Gruppe erst am Abend möglich.
Because of the weather, the group's return was only possible in the evening.