wenden (= to turn)*

* Two different forms of the verb "wenden" exist - regular (wendete, gewendet) and irregular (wandte, gewandt). The regular or 'weak' forms are more common when a change of direction is being described or if you are turning something round to show a different side. These forms are also more common with the compound verb "entwenden" (to steal, to purloin).

 

"Iris wendete ihr Auto" - "Iris turned her car (round)"

"Das Taxi hat in der Wassertorstraße gewendet" - "The taxi turned in Wassertorstraße"

"Der Verkäufer wendete den Mantel" - "The salesman showed the other side of the coat"

"Das Blatt hatte sich gewendet" - "The tables had been turned"

"Der Dieb entwendete ihr die Tasche" - "The thief stole her bag"

In other contexts the irregular forms are more frequently used:

 

"Meine Freundin wandte sich zu mir" - "My girlfriend turned to me"

"Die Studenten hatten viel Mühe auf ihre Klausurarbeit gewandt" - "The students had put a great deal of effort into their exam work"

"Wandtet ihr viel Geld daran?" - "Did you spend a lot of money on this?"

The irregular or 'strong' forms of "wenden" are also more commonly used with such compound verbs as "anwenden" (to use, to apply), "abwenden" (to turn away), "einwenden" (to raise an objection), "aufwenden" (to expend, to spend) or "umwenden" (to turn round).

 

"Der Mörder wandte sich blitzschnell um" - "The murderer turned round very quickly"

"Unsere Professorin hat die gleiche Technik darauf angewandt" - "Our professor used the same technique for doing this"

"Seine Anwältin wandte ein, dass das nicht stimmte" - "His lawyer objected that this was not true"

"Enttäuscht habe ich das Gesicht abgewandt" - "I looked away in disappointment"

The regular and irregular forms are employed with equal frequency with the verb "verwenden" (to make use of). For example:

 

"Das Wörterbuch war wohl niemals verwendet/verwandt worden" - "The dictionary had probably never been used"

"Wir verwandten/verwendeten viel Zeit auf die Pflege der Maschinen" - "We expended a lot of time on the upkeep of the machines"

Irregular forms of "wenden":

 

Present tense: ich wende, du wendest, er/sie wendet, wir wenden, ihr wendet, sie/Sie wenden

 

Imperfect / preterite: ich wandte, du wandtest, er/sie wandte, wir wandten, ihr wandtet, sie/Sie wandten

 

Perfect tense: ich habe gewandt, du hast gewandt, er/sie hat gewandt, wir haben gewandt, ihr habt gewandt, sie/Sie haben gewandt

 

Pluperfect tense: ich hatte gewandt, du hattest gewandt, er/sie hatte gewandt, wir hatten gewandt, ihr hattet gewandt, sie/Sie hatten gewandt

 

Imperative: wend(e)! wendet! wenden Sie!

 

Present Participle: wendend

 

Past Participle: gewandt

 

Imperfect subjunctive: ich wendete, du wendetest, er/sie wendete, wir wendeten, ihr wendetet, sie/Sie wendeten