verb
to turn, to spin, to twist, to film
B1
Drehen means 'to turn', 'to spin' or 'to twist', and also 'to film' (einen Film drehen). It’s a regular weak verb using haben. Reflexive sich drehen is intransitive for something rotating (Die Erde dreht sich); non‑reflexive drehen is often transitive: you turn or spin something.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Ich drehe den Kopf.
I turn my head.
Der Techniker drehte das Ventil, damit der Druck im Rohr sank.
The technician turned the valve so that the pressure in the pipe dropped.
Dreh den Schlüssel im Schloss, dann geht die Tür auf.
Turn the key in the lock and the door will open.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture turning a doorknob: your hand makes a circular 'drehen' motion, like the 'dre' sound rotating.
Sounds a bit like 'drain' — imagine turning something so water drains or spins out.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Common verb with several senses: transitive 'drehen' (to turn something), intransitive/reflexive 'sich drehen' (to rotate, spin, or turn oneself), and a colloquial sense 'einen Film drehen' (to film/shoot). In perfect tenses it uses 'haben' (hat gedreht). Pay attention to reflexive use: 'sich drehen' often describes movement without a direct object.