How do you say “Turn the tide” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is das Blatt wenden, which literally means “to turn the card”. English speakers use turn the tide to mean to change the direction of events, often in your favour. A close German expression for bringing about a change in fortunes. It often suggests improving a difficult position. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
das Blatt wenden
/das blat ˈvɛndn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to turn the card”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Das Blatt wenden” puts the focus on a reversal. It works for a match or a campaign that had been going badly.
If the situation changes by itself, say “das Blatt wendet sich”. The active form gives someone or something a role in causing the change.
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
One late goal turned the tide of the match.
German
Ein spätes Tor wendete das Blatt im Spiel.
English
The volunteers’ work helped turn the tide against the library closure.
German
Die Arbeit der Freiwilligen half, das Blatt im Kampf gegen die Schließung der Bibliothek zu wenden.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-13