How do you say “Turn the tables” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is den Spieß umdrehen, which literally means “to turn the spear around”. English speakers use turn the tables to mean to reverse a situation so that you gain the advantage. An established German equivalent for reversing who puts whom under pressure. It suits arguments and contests. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
den Spieß umdrehen
/deːn ʃpiːs ˈʊmdʁeːən/
- Literal meaning
- “to turn the spear around”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
96 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German turns a spear back towards the person who held it. It is especially vivid when a question or accusation is returned to its source.
It can also describe reversing fortunes in a competition. Use it when the balance changes, not for any small improvement.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
After two defeats, we turned the tables and beat them in the final.
German
Nach zwei Niederlagen drehten wir den Spieß um und besiegten sie im Finale.
English
She turned the tables on the interviewer by asking about his own mistakes.
German
Sie drehte den Spieß um und fragte den Interviewer nach seinen eigenen Fehlern.
Related expressions
- What “Turn the tables” means in English
- Flip the script, to change the usual approach or reverse expected roles
Last updated 2026-10-01