German word

rücken

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʁʏkən/

Meaning

  • verbmove closer

Example

Er rückt den Stuhl an den Tisch.

He moves the chair up to the table.

Illustration for rücken (move closer)

More examples

Kannst du bitte einen Stuhl an den Tisch rücken?

Could you please move a chair up to the table?

Core concept

A row of objects slides closer together until the gap between them narrows.

Common phrases

  • ein Stück rücken

    move over a bit

  • einen Termin um einen Tag rücken

    move an appointment by one day

  • den Stuhl an den Tisch rücken

    move the chair up to the table

Similar words

schieben: The forceful movement of an object forward or sideways by pushing.
ziehen: The movement of an object toward a person or place by pulling.
verschieben: The movement of an object to a different position.
heranrücken: The gradual movement of an object closer to a specified place or person.

Definition in German

etwas stückweise oder ein wenig so bewegen, dass seine Position dichter an ein Ziel oder an eine andere Sache rückt

Word origin

The modern verb continues Old High German ruckēn and Middle High German rücken, an inherited Germanic formation rather than a later borrowing.

Usage tips

  • With an, the destination takes the accusative, as in den Stuhl an den Tisch rücken, not the dative.

Other meanings

  • shiftverb

Opposites

  • auseinanderrückenmove apartverb
  • abrückenmove awayverb

Related words

  • zusammenrückenmove closer togetherverb
  • verrückenshiftverb
  • zurückrückenmove backverb

Word lists with this word