German word

rückwärts

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʁʏkˌvɛʁts/

Meaning

  • adverbbackwards

Example

Das Auto fuhr rückwärts in die Garage.

The car drove backwards into the garage.

Illustration for rückwärts (backwards)

More examples

Er übte, rückwärts zu lesen.

He practiced reading backwards.

Core concept

The normal forward line is turned around, so movement faces the rear and an ordered process runs from later steps to earlier ones.

Common phrases

  • rückwärts fahren

    drive backwards

  • rückwärts gehen

    walk backwards

  • rückwärts lesen

    read backwards

Similar words

zurück: Shows a return to an earlier position or state.
nach hinten: Shows movement toward the rear.
hinten: Describes a location at the back or rear.

Definition in German

Beschreibt eine rückläufige Richtung; verwendbar für rückwärts gerichtete Bewegungen und für umgekehrte Abläufe.

Word origin

Rückwärts developed as a compound of rück- and -wärts; rück- relates to returning or the rear, while -wärts marks a direction.

Usage tips

  • Umgekehrt is preferred for 'conversely' or 'the other way around', while rückwärts retains a directional or sequence sense.

Other meanings

  • in reverse orderadverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Rückwärtsgangreverse gearnoun
  • rückwärtsgewandtbackward-facingadjective

Word lists with this word