fegen
/ˈfeːɡn̩/
The English phrase 'sweeping' can be translated into German as fegen.
In German, fegen is a common way to say 'to sweep'.
Meaning: wide, broad, affecting many things (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the act of sweeping as a noun (the gerund), you capitalize the verb and use it as a noun: das Fegen. The third-person singular present tense of the verb is fegt (sweeps/is sweeping), and the past participle is gefegt (swept).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfeːɡn̩/
Did you know?
- In Germany, the chimney sweep, or Schornsteinfeger, is traditionally considered a symbol of good luck. It is often seen as a positive omen if a Schornsteinfeger brushes against you on the street.
- While English uses 'sweeping' as an adjective for broad changes, German often uses different adjectives like umfassend for this meaning, reserving fegen primarily for the physical act.
- In certain German dialects, the word fegen is used metaphorically to describe a person who is 'sweeping' through a room or moving very quickly and clumsily.
Examples in context
- Das Fegen des Zimmers ist die Aufgabe meiner Tochter.Sweeping the room is my daughter's job.This sentence uses fegen to show a specific task or job.Tatoeba #519951 by Espi, translation #319610 by CK
- Ich hörte Opa draußen die Auffahrt fegen und ging hin, um ihm zu helfen.Hearing Grandad sweeping the drive, I went out to help him.This sentence uses fegen to describe an action someone was performing outdoors.Tatoeba #11233932 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11588086 by sundown
- Ich fegte den Boden gründlichI swept the floor thoroughly.
- Die Straße wurde gekehrtThe street was swept.
- Kannst du bitte den Boden fegen?Can you please sweep the floor?
- Ich fegte die Veranda vor dem Besuch.I swept the porch before the guests arrived.
- Herr Müller macht immer das Haus sauber, einschließlich Fegen und Staubsaugen.Mr. Müller always cleans the house, including sweeping and vacuuming.
- Die Straßenarbeiter kehrten die Straße nach dem Sturm.The road workers swept the street after the storm.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are discussing new company policies.
- JulianDie neuen Regeln sind wirklich fegen.The new rules are truly sweeping.
- JuliaJa, sie ändern fast alles im Büro.Yes, they change almost everything in the office.
- JulianGlaubst du, dass das gut ist?Do you think that is a good thing?
- JuliaIch hoffe, dass es uns hilft.I hope that it helps us.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fegen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
