Looking up...
meander
/miˈændər/
schlängeln
The river meanders through the valley.
Der Fluss schlängelt sich durch das Tal.
neutral
sich in Windungen bewegen
The path meanders along the coast.
Der Weg schlängelt sich entlang der Küste.
Often used for rivers, paths, or abstract ideas (e.g., a conversation meandering).
neutral
umherwandern ohne klares Ziel
He meandered through the park, enjoying the scenery.
Er schlenderte ziellos durch den Park und genoss die Aussicht.
Can imply aimless movement or wandering.
Kollokationen
meander throughsich schlängeln durch / umherwandern inmeandering conversationabschweifendes Gespräch
Antonyme
Profi-Tipp
Avoid false friends
The German 'Meander' (noun) refers to a winding pattern, often in art or geography, but the verb 'meandern' is not standard German. Use 'sich schlängeln' or 'umherwandern' instead.
Goldene Regel
Context matters
For physical movement (rivers, paths), use 'sich schlängeln'. For abstract wandering (thoughts, conversations), use 'umherwandern' or 'abschweifen'.
Wortursprung
From the Greek *Maiandros* (the name of a river in Asia Minor known for its winding course), via Latin * Maeander*.
Verwendungshinweise
Commonly used for physical paths (rivers, roads) and abstract progressions (conversations, thoughts). Avoid literal translations like 'meandern' in German—use 'sich schlängeln' or 'umherwandern' instead.
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