Umrühren

Umrühren is a German verb meaning to stir or mix by moving a spoon, spatula, or similar implement through a liquid in order to combine ingredients, distribute heat, or achieve a uniform consistency. The prefix um- adds a nuance of turning, redistributing, or thoroughly mixing beyond simple stirring with rühren.

Grammatically, umrühren is a separable verb. In the present tense it is conjugated as ich rühre um, du rührst um, er rührt um, wir rühren um, ihr rührt um, sie rühren um. The past participle is umgerührt, used with haben, as in Ich habe die Suppe umgerührt.

Usage is common in cooking and food preparation, where umrühren prevents sticking, encourages even cooking, and helps integrate ingredients added at different times. For example, recipes may instruct: „Bitte umrühren, damit sich die Soße nicht trennt.“ In scientific and technical contexts, the term denotes homogenizing a solution or mixture, such as „das Lösungsmittel regelmäßig umrühren.“ Metaphorically, umrühren can describe stirring up emotions, attention, or debate, e.g., „die Diskussion umrühren“ or „eine Kontroverse umrühren.“

Etymologically, umrühren is formed from rühren (to stir) with the prefix um-, indicating a turning or thorough mixing action. It is related to other separable verbs with rühren, such as durchrühren (to stir through thoroughly) and is part of the broader family of verbs describing movement and mixing.