Whether you're playing cards, jogging through the park, or buying drinks for your friends, the German word Runde will come in handy. It translates as round, but its meaning depends entirely on context — it can mean a lap, a round of a game, a turn, or even a social “round” at the bar. It's one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, too!

Runde is a feminine noun, so the correct article is die — die Runde. Not quite sure how to keep track of gender? Our 5-minute gender video lesson is your go-to tool for learning der, die, and das quickly and confidently.

Real conversations where Runde might come up

Germans use Runde constantly — in games, competitions, sports, and casual get-togethers. It's also a social word: eine Runde ausgeben means "to buy a round" of drinks, and eine Runde drehen means "to go for a spin" or walk.

– Noch eine Runde?
– Klar! Ich führe sowieso.
(“Another round?” – “Sure! I’m winning anyway.”)

Beginner sample dialogue

Ali: Wollen wir noch eine Runde spazieren gehen?
Nina: Gute Idee. Ich brauch frische Luft.
Ali: Vielleicht laufen wir diesmal am Fluss entlang.

(Ali: Want to go for another walk around the block?
Nina: Good idea. I need some fresh air.
Ali: Maybe this time we’ll walk along the river.)

Grammar in action: How to use Runde

Here’s how Runde behaves across the four German cases:

• Nominative: Die Runde war spannend.
  (The round was exciting.)

• Accusative: Ich starte die nächste Runde.
  (I’m starting the next round.)

• Dative: In der letzten Runde habe ich gewonnen.
  (I won in the last round.)

• Genitive: Das Ende der Runde war unerwartet.
  (The end of the round was unexpected.)

Need a clearer picture of how these cases work? Our plain-English grammar course breaks it all down — no technical jargon, just real help.

Other ways to say round or turn in German

When referring to game turns, Zug (move) can be used, especially in chess or board games. Umdrehung is used more in technical or mechanical contexts (like RPMs). But Runde is the most flexible and conversational — it fits a social drink, a round of applause (eine Runde Applaus), or a lap around the track.

Word variations and tidbits

Runde comes from rund, meaning round or circular, and you’ll see it in many compound words:

• Spielrunde – game round

• Laufrunde – running loop/lap

• Diskussionsrunde – discussion round/panel

• Rundenzeit – lap time

• Rundreise – round trip

It’s also often used in the phrase in der nächsten Runde, whether you’re playing a game, entering the next phase of a job interview process, or ordering another drink.

Fun note: saying “Ich gebe eine Runde aus” (“I’m buying a round”) is a common, friendly gesture — and a great phrase to keep in your pocket when socializing in German.

Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Runde

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