ein Geheimnis bewahren
To keep a secret
Littéralement: a secret to preserve
Use this to show you are a trustworthy person who can keep sensitive information to yourself.
En 15 secondes
- To keep a secret and not tell anyone.
- Used for trust-based situations and professional discretion.
- Focuses on the act of preserving someone's privacy.
Signification
This phrase means you are keeping a piece of information private and not telling anyone else about it. It is the act of being a trustworthy vault for someone's sensitive or personal news.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Asking a friend if they are trustworthy
Kannst du ein Geheimnis bewahren?
Can you keep a secret?
Assuring a colleague about work info
Ich werde dein Geheimnis auf jeden Fall bewahren.
I will definitely keep your secret.
Texting a friend about a surprise
Pst! Bewahre das Geheimnis bis Freitag! 🤫
Shh! Keep the secret until Friday!
Contexte culturel
Privacy is a cornerstone of German social life, often referred to as 'Datenschutz' (data protection) even in personal contexts. This phrase dates back to Middle High German and has always been associated with loyalty and the high value placed on personal boundaries and professional discretion.
Go Casual with Friends
If you want to sound like a local while gossiping, use 'dicht halten' instead. It makes you sound much more conversational.
Don't use 'halten'
English speakers often say 'ein Geheimnis halten' because of 'keep a secret.' In German, that's a mistake! Always use 'bewahren'.
En 15 secondes
- To keep a secret and not tell anyone.
- Used for trust-based situations and professional discretion.
- Focuses on the act of preserving someone's privacy.
What It Means
Imagine you are a human safe. Someone hands you a golden nugget of information. You lock it up and throw away the key. That is ein Geheimnis bewahren. It is more than just not talking. It is about actively protecting a piece of information. You are ensuring that a secret stays exactly where it belongs: with you. It is a fundamental part of being a reliable friend or a professional colleague.
How To Use It
You will mostly use this with the verb bewahren at the end of the sentence. You can ask someone, "Kannst du ein Geheimnis bewahren?" This is the perfect way to test the waters before sharing juicy gossip. You can also use it in the past tense. If someone stayed quiet, you say, "Er hat das Geheimnis bewahrt." It sounds a bit more elegant and serious than just saying "nothing said." It focuses on the virtue of your silence.
When To Use It
Use this when trust is the main topic. It is perfect for surprise party planning. Use it when a friend tells you they are pregnant before the official announcement. It is also very common in professional settings. Think about lawyers, doctors, or tech developers. They all have to Geheimnisse bewahren every single day. It works in texts, over coffee, or in a serious office meeting. It shows you understand the weight of the information.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for physical things. You do not bewahre your keys in your pocket. For that, you would use aufbewahren. Also, do not use it for promises. In German, you "hold" a promise: ein Versprechen halten. If you say you "preserve" a promise, it sounds like you put it in a jar of vinegar. Finally, if you just want to tell someone to shut up, this is way too polite. Use something punchier for that!
Cultural Background
Germans take privacy very seriously. They even have a specific word for it: Privatsphäre. This phrase reflects that cultural value deeply. If a German friend shares a secret, they expect you to be a fortress. Breaking that trust is a major social faux pas. It is often linked to the concept of Zuverlässigkeit (reliability). In a culture that values order and rules, keeping your word is a matter of personal honor.
Common Variations
If you are hanging out with close friends, you might say dicht halten. This literally means "to hold tight" or "stay leak-proof." It is much more casual. For something very formal, like a legal contract, you might see Stillschweigen bewahren. That translates to "preserving silent silence." It sounds very serious and a bit like a spy movie. But for 90% of your life, ein Geheimnis bewahren is the gold standard.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is neutral and safe to use in any context. Just remember to use the dative case if you specify who you are keeping the secret for (e.g., 'jemandem ein Geheimnis bewahren' is rare; usually, it's 'vor jemandem').
Go Casual with Friends
If you want to sound like a local while gossiping, use 'dicht halten' instead. It makes you sound much more conversational.
Don't use 'halten'
English speakers often say 'ein Geheimnis halten' because of 'keep a secret.' In German, that's a mistake! Always use 'bewahren'.
The Silent Gold
Germans love the proverb 'Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold' (Talking is silver, silence is gold). Keeping a secret is seen as a sign of high character.
Exemples
6Kannst du ein Geheimnis bewahren?
Can you keep a secret?
A very common way to start a confidential conversation.
Ich werde dein Geheimnis auf jeden Fall bewahren.
I will definitely keep your secret.
Using 'auf jeden Fall' adds strong emphasis to your reliability.
Pst! Bewahre das Geheimnis bis Freitag! 🤫
Shh! Keep the secret until Friday!
Short and direct, perfect for a quick message.
Mein Hund ist toll, er kann jedes Geheimnis bewahren.
My dog is great, he can keep any secret.
A joke because dogs obviously can't talk.
Danke, dass du mein Geheimnis all die Jahre bewahrt hast.
Thank you for keeping my secret all these years.
Shows deep gratitude and long-term trust.
Wir müssen das Geheimnis vor Mama bewahren.
We have to keep the secret from Mom.
Uses 'vor' to indicate who the secret is being kept from.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct verb to complete the phrase.
Ich verspreche dir, ich werde dein Geheimnis ___.
The standard collocation for keeping a secret is 'ein Geheimnis bewahren'.
Choose the correct noun to complete the phrase.
Es ist schwer, so ein großes ___ zu bewahren.
'Geheimnis' is the German word for secret.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of Keeping Secrets
Used with close friends or family.
dicht halten
The standard way to express the idea.
ein Geheimnis bewahren
Used in legal or very serious contexts.
Stillschweigen bewahren
When to Use 'ein Geheimnis bewahren'
Surprise Party
Don't tell the birthday girl!
Work / NDA
Protecting company data.
Best Friends
Sharing a private crush.
Medical
Doctor-patient confidentiality.
Questions fréquentes
11 questionsIt means to preserve, guard, or keep something safe. You can also use it for 'bewahren vor' (to protect from).
Yes, etwas für sich behalten is a common alternative. It means 'to keep something for oneself.'
Absolutely. It is the standard way to talk about professional discretion and NDAs in a neutral way.
The opposite is ein Geheimnis verraten, which means to betray or reveal a secret.
Both work! Use ein for 'a secret' and das for 'the secret' once you've already mentioned it.
You can say: Ich kann schlecht Geheimnisse bewahren. It's a very honest thing to admit!
Yes, you can say aus dem Nähkästchen plaudern, which means to chat out of the sewing box.
No, for that you would use keine Miene verziehen or ernst bleiben.
Yes, you can say viele Geheimnisse bewahren if you are the person everyone trusts with their news.
Not at all. While bewahren is an older verb, the phrase is used daily in modern German.
Yes, Wir müssen dieses Geheimnis bewahren is very common when emphasizing the necessity of silence.
Expressions liées
dicht halten
ein Versprechen halten
etwas für sich behalten
Stillschweigen bewahren
ein Geheimnis verraten
Commentaires (0)
Connectez-vous pour CommenterCommencez à apprendre les langues gratuitement
Commence Gratuitement