wischen
Translation
to wipe, to mop, to swipe, to whisk
Examples
Kannst du bitte den Tisch wischen?
Can you please wipe the table?
Sie wischte den nassen Boden.
She mopped the wet floor.
Er wischte sich den Schweiß von der Stirn.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) wischen to wipe (sth.) She wiped the counter.
((sth.)) von+3 wischen to wipe (sth.) from (sth.) He wiped the dust from the shelf.
Similar Words
Synonyms: putzen (to clean), reinigen (to clean); Antonyms: verschmutzen (to dirty)
Etymology
From Old High German 'wisken', meaning 'to move quickly'.
Memory Tips
Think of the 'swish' sound a cloth or mop makes when you 'wischen' a surface. The sound connects to the action.