Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| umgekehrt | [ˈʊmɡəˌkeːɐ̯t] (narrow) |
| andersherum | |
| andersrum | [ˈandɐsˌʁʊm] (narrow) |
| und umgekehrt | |
| und umgedreht | |
| vice versa |
These terms are used to indicate that a relationship, situation or statement applies in the opposite direction. It is very common in German to use the phrase und umgekehrt at the end of a sentence to express that the reverse relationship also holds true.
What does it mean word for word?
The word umgekehrt is formed by the prefix um- (meaning around or reverse) and the past participle of the verb kehren (meaning to turn or to sweep).
Which one should you use?
While the Latin phrase vice versa is used in German, often in academic or formal contexts, umgekehrt is the standard German equivalent used in most everyday situations. To express the same idea, you can use andersherum, which is a more explicit version of the colloquial andersrum.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term andersrum is a colloquial contraction of andersherum and is more common in spoken German than the formal umgekehrt. In very formal or academic contexts, the phrase im Umkehrschluss can be used to express 'vice versa'.
Did you know?
- The verb kehren inside umgekehrt is a double-meaning word that can mean both 'to turn' and 'to sweep'. This creates a linguistic link between reversing a direction and cleaning a floor.
- While English speakers use 'vice versa' primarily as an adverb, German speakers often use the phrase im Umkehrschluss to describe a logical deduction or a 'reverse conclusion' in an argument.
- The word umgedreht is often used instead of umgekehrt when referring to physical objects, such as a shirt worn the wrong way round.
Examples in context
- Warum verhalten sich Menschen wie Affen und umgekehrt?Why do men behave like apes, and vice versa?This sentence asks why humans behave like apes and the reverse is true using umgekehrt.Tatoeba #688489 by samueldora, translation #36369 by Jesse
- Der Mann schimpft, weil der Hund bellt, oder umgekehrt?The man complains, because the dog is barking, or vice versa?This sentence explores whether a man's complaining is caused by a dog's barking or umgekehrt.Tatoeba #2170501 by freddy1, translation #2170892 by freddy1
- Tom teilte viele Verhaltensweisen mit seinem Hund und umgekehrt.Tom shared many of his dog's ways, and vice versa.This sentence describes shared behaviors between a man and a dog and the reverse using umgekehrt.Tatoeba #5319069 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10525368 by sundown
- Wenn sie mich unterstützen, helfe ich ihnen auch bei zukünftigen Projekten, und umgekehrt.If they support me, I'll also help them with future projects, and vice versa.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Lukas are discussing how to use a new device.
- LauraDrück zuerst den roten Knopf.Press the red button first.
- LukasUnd danach den grünen?And then the green one?
- LauraJa, oder umgekehrt, das funktioniert auch.Yes, or the other way round, that works too.
- LukasAlles klar, danke Laura!All right, thanks Laura!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vice versa” translations and entries umgekehrt, andersherum, andersrum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
