rechts
right
Es bezeichnet die Richtung, die dem linken Gegenteil gegenüberliegt.
Definition & meaning
The word rechts primarily has two meanings in German:
- Direction or Position: It describes the side of the body that is normally used for writing by most people, or the direction toward that side. It is the opposite of left. For example, "Biegen Sie nach rechts ab" (Turn right).
- Political Orientation: It refers to the right-wing spectrum of politics, encompassing conservative, traditionalist, or nationalistic viewpoints.
It is important to distinguish the adverb rechts from the noun das Recht[?](vocabuo://word/das Recht), which means "the law" or "a right," although they share the same linguistic root.
Grammar & Word origin
The word is an adverb. When used as an adjective (e.g., "the right hand"), the form changes to recht or becomes part of a compound like recht-.
Etymologically, it derives from the Old High German word "reht," which meant "straight" or "correct." This explains why, in many Germanic and Indo-European languages, the word for the right side is also associated with being "right" in a moral or legal sense.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- For direction: rechterhand (on the right hand side).
- For politics: konservativ (conservative), bürgerlich (middle-class/civil), deutschnational (German-nationalist).
Antonyms
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Examples
Ich biege rechts ab.adverb
I turn right.
Sie müssen dort rechts abbiegen.adverb
You have to turn right there.
Rechts von mir steht ein großer Baum.adverb
To the right of me stands a large tree.
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