01
verkehren
to run
Refers to public transport such as buses or trains that regularly travel along a particular route.
example
Zwischen den beiden Städten verkehren stündlich Züge.
Trains run hourly between the two cities.
verkehren
to run / associate / turn into
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
The verb contains the stem 'kehren' (to turn), which can mean 'wenden' (to turn) or 'drehen' (to rotate). This idea of turning and movement appears in the meanings: means of transport 'turn' along their route, and a situation can 'sich ins Gegenteil verkehren' (turn into the opposite).
EXAMPLE
Seine gute Laune verkehrte sich plötzlich in Wut.
His good mood suddenly turned into anger.
Inseparable verb
'Verkehren' is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem in all tenses and sentence constructions.
EXAMPLE
Der Bus verkehrt hier nur morgens und abends.
The bus runs here only in the mornings and evenings.
Important auxiliary verb
The perfect tense is formed with different auxiliary verbs. For the movement of public transport (meaning 1), you use 'sein' (to be); for social contact (meaning 2), you use 'haben' (to have).
EXAMPLE
Früher ist hier eine Straßenbahn verkehrt.
A tram used to run here.
Context clue
When the subject is a form of public transport (e.g., 'der Bus' (the bus), 'die Bahn' (the train/railway), 'Züge' (trains)), the meaning is almost always 'to travel along a route'.
EXAMPLE
Auf dieser Strecke verkehren nur noch Regionalzüge.
Only regional trains still run on this route.
Fixed preposition
In the meaning 'to have social contact', 'verkehren' is always used with the preposition 'mit' and the dative. You 'verkehren mit' (associate with) someone.
EXAMPLE
Sie verkehrt nicht mehr mit ihren alten Schulfreunden.
She no longer associates with her old school friends.
Reflexive verb
When something changes into its opposite, 'verkehren' becomes reflexive and is used with the preposition 'in' plus the accusative: 'sich in etwas verkehren' (to turn into something).
EXAMPLE
Sein anfänglicher Vorteil verkehrte sich schnell in einen Nachteil.
His initial advantage quickly turned into a disadvantage.
Register
This meaning for sexual intercourse is very outdated and formal. Today it is found almost only in historical, legal, or biblical texts.
EXAMPLE
In dem alten Roman wurde beschrieben, wie die Hauptfiguren heimlich miteinander verkehrten.
In the old novel, it was described how the main characters secretly had intercourse with each other.
Compare with
verkehren vs fahren
to drive / ride
'fahren' and 'verkehren' can both be used with public transport. 'fahren' is the normal everyday word: a bus or train runs. 'verkehren' means more specifically that a form of transport runs regularly on a route. It sounds more like a timetable, traffic report, or official information. Learners may confuse the words because both talk about buses and trains. In conversation, 'fahren' is usually more natural; in a timetable, 'verkehren' fits very well.
verkehren
Zwischen den beiden Städten verkehren morgens mehrere Züge.
Several trains run between the two cities in the morning.
fahren
Der letzte Bus fährt heute schon um zehn Uhr.
The last bus runs at ten o’clock today.
In real life
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