Usage Note
ansteuern originally meant to steer a vessel toward a destination; it is now used broadly for any purposeful movement toward a goal — den nächsten Hafen ansteuern, ein Café ansteuern. The directional sense is always strong.
Examples
"Nach der langen Wanderung steuerten wir das nächste Gasthaus an."
Natural Translation
After the long hike, we headed for the nearest inn.
Literal Translation
After the long hike steered we the nearest inn toward.
Related Words
Explore German by topic