zurücken

Zurücken is a German word that literally translates to "backwards" or "back." It is a versatile adverb and sometimes a prefix used in various contexts to indicate a movement, return, or regression. As an adverb, zurücken can describe the act of moving something or oneself backward, for example, "Der Stuhl wurde zur Recke geschoben" (The chair was pushed back). It can also denote a return to a previous state or position, such as "Er ist zu seiner alten Gewohnheit zurückgefallen" (He has fallen back into his old habit).

The prefix "zurück-" is commonly attached to verbs to form new words that convey a sense of returning or going back. Examples include zurückkehren (to return), zurückgeben (to give back), and zurückdenken (to think back). These compound verbs are fundamental in expressing actions involving reversal or a backward trajectory in German. The concept of "zurücken" is central to many everyday actions and abstract ideas in the German language, highlighting the importance of directionality and temporal or spatial regression.