renovieren
To renovate
Use 'renovieren' for cosmetic home improvements like painting, but use 'reparieren' for fixing broken items.
En 15 segundos
- To renovate or redecorate a room or building.
- Used for cosmetic changes like painting and wallpapering.
- Very common in the context of moving and DIY projects.
Significado
Think of it as giving your home a fresh facelift. It is the process of painting walls, replacing old floors, or finally getting rid of that 70s wallpaper to make a space feel new again.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 7Talking about weekend plans
Ich kann nicht kommen, ich muss mein Wohnzimmer renovieren.
I can't come, I have to renovate my living room.
Discussing a new apartment
Die Wohnung ist toll, aber wir müssen erst einmal renovieren.
The apartment is great, but we have to renovate first.
A formal announcement at work
Unser Büro wird im August komplett renoviert.
Our office will be completely renovated in August.
Contexto cultural
In Germany, 'renovieren' is a national pastime. The country has one of the highest densities of hardware stores in the world. Interestingly, many German rental apartments are handed over 'unrenovated,' meaning the tenant is responsible for painting and flooring upon moving in or out.
The 'White Wall' Rule
In Germany, if you paint your walls a crazy color, you usually have to paint them back to white before moving out. This is often called 'renovieren' in the contract.
Renovieren vs. Sanieren
Don't confuse these! 'Renovieren' is for looks. 'Sanieren' is for serious stuff like fixing a leaky roof or moldy basement.
En 15 segundos
- To renovate or redecorate a room or building.
- Used for cosmetic changes like painting and wallpapering.
- Very common in the context of moving and DIY projects.
What It Means
Renovieren is all about cosmetic improvements to a building or room. It is not about building a house from scratch. It is about making an existing space look better. Think of paint, wallpaper, and new flooring. If you are tired of your white walls, you renovieren them. It is a very common word because Germans take great pride in their homes. You will hear it often during the spring or when someone moves.
How To Use It
Using renovieren is quite straightforward since it is a regular verb. You simply conjugate it like any other -ieren verb. You can say ich renoviere for the present tense. If you finished the work, use habe renoviert. It usually takes a direct object, like die Küche or das Bad. You can also use it without an object. For example, just say "Wir renovieren gerade." This tells people why your hands are covered in white paint.
When To Use It
Use this when you are talking about home improvement projects. It is perfect for telling friends why you cannot come to their party. You might be busy painting your bedroom. It is also the standard word used in rental contracts. Many German leases require you to renovieren when you move out. This usually just means painting the walls white again. Use it at the hardware store when asking for advice. It works for both professional contractors and DIY weekend warriors.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use renovieren if you are fixing something broken. If your toaster is dead, you reparieren it. If you are tearing down walls or replacing the entire roof, use sanieren. Sanieren is for structural or technical repairs, like fixing mold or old pipes. Also, do not use it for personal grooming. You do not renovieren your hair; you just get a haircut. Keep it strictly for buildings and rooms to avoid sounding like a construction site.
Cultural Background
Germans have a deep love for Baumärkte (hardware stores). Places like Obi or Hornbach are like playgrounds for adults on Saturdays. There is a strong DIY culture here. Many people prefer to renovieren themselves rather than hiring a professional. It is a way to save money and show off your skills. In Germany, it is very common to move into an apartment with bare concrete walls. This means you must renovieren before you even unpack your first box.
Common Variations
If you want to sound more specific, try tapezieren for putting up wallpaper. If you are just making things look pretty, use verschönern. For a massive, deep renovation, use kernsanieren. This means you are stripping the place down to the bones. If you are just doing small touch-ups, you can call them Schönheitsreparaturen. This literally translates to "beauty repairs." It is a very common term in legal rental agreements across Germany.
Notas de uso
The word is neutral and safe for all contexts. Just remember that in a legal sense, it often specifically refers to 'Schönheitsreparaturen' (cosmetic repairs) like painting.
The 'White Wall' Rule
In Germany, if you paint your walls a crazy color, you usually have to paint them back to white before moving out. This is often called 'renovieren' in the contract.
Renovieren vs. Sanieren
Don't confuse these! 'Renovieren' is for looks. 'Sanieren' is for serious stuff like fixing a leaky roof or moldy basement.
The Baumarkt Ritual
Visiting a hardware store like Obi or Bauhaus on a Saturday morning is a true German cultural experience. It's where the 'renovieren' magic begins!
Ejemplos
7Ich kann nicht kommen, ich muss mein Wohnzimmer renovieren.
I can't come, I have to renovate my living room.
A classic excuse for missing a social event in Germany.
Die Wohnung ist toll, aber wir müssen erst einmal renovieren.
The apartment is great, but we have to renovate first.
Refers to the common practice of painting before moving in.
Unser Büro wird im August komplett renoviert.
Our office will be completely renovated in August.
Used here in a professional, passive construction.
Bin bei Obi. Renovieren ist so anstrengend!
I'm at Obi. Renovating is so exhausting!
Obi is a famous German hardware store chain.
Mein Hund hat den Flur mit seinen Pfoten neu renoviert.
My dog has 'newly renovated' the hallway with his paws.
Using the word sarcastically to describe a mess.
Nach der Trennung wollte sie die ganze Wohnung renovieren.
After the breakup, she wanted to renovate the whole apartment.
Renovating as a symbolic way to start a new life chapter.
Hilfst du mir am Samstag beim Renovieren?
Will you help me with the renovating on Saturday?
The verb is used here as a noun (Gerund).
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence.
Wir ___ nächsten Monat unsere Küche.
Since the subject is 'Wir' (we), the verb must be in the first-person plural form 'renovieren'.
Which word fits best for fixing a broken sink?
Ich muss das Waschbecken ___, es ist kaputt.
You 'reparieren' (repair) things that are broken; 'renovieren' is for cosmetic updates.
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Ayudas visuales
Formality of 'renovieren'
Chatting with friends about DIY projects.
Ich renoviere am Wochenende.
Standard use in everyday life and stores.
Wir müssen die Wohnung renovieren.
Used in rental contracts or official notices.
Das Gebäude wird renoviert.
When to use 'renovieren'
Moving House
Painting walls white for the next tenant.
Hardware Store
Buying paint and brushes for a project.
Spring Cleaning
Giving a room a fresh new look.
Rental Agreements
Discussing lease obligations with a landlord.
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasNo, that would be bauen. Renovieren is only for improving or updating an existing structure.
No, for cars you should use restaurieren (restore) or reparieren (repair). Renovieren is strictly for buildings.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your landlord, or your best friend without changing the word.
Renovieren is cosmetic (paint, floors). Sanieren is structural (pipes, roof, mold removal).
You say Ich renoviere gerade. The word gerade adds the 'right now' emphasis.
Yes! It follows the standard conjugation pattern for verbs ending in -ieren, like ich renoviere, du renovierst, er renoviert.
It means 'newly renovated.' You will see this often in real estate listings to justify a higher rent.
Usually, yes. Most contracts require you to leave the walls in a neutral color, which Germans call renovieren.
Not usually. For furniture, Germans prefer aufarbeiten or restaurieren.
It's a break from renovating. People often use this term when they are exhausted from weeks of painting and tiling.
Frases relacionadas
streichen
to paint (walls)
tapezieren
to hang wallpaper
sanieren
to refurbish/rehabilitate structurally
umgestalten
to redesign or rearrange
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