English Translation
Do you keep a diary?
Relative to the other meanings of the verb “führen” this seems a rather idiomatic if not idiosyncratic usage of this verb…
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You’re right, I can’t logically explain why people use ”führen“.
But it is the way it is. It’s correct German nonetheless.
In English, “to keep” doesn’t exactly make sense either. Okay, you don’t throw your diary away, but keeping it doesn’t mean you’re writing into it.
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English Translation
Do you keep a diary?
To “keep” a diary/record/list etc. there a strong inference that it is written down or these days, entered on a computer.
Maybe “keeping” is short for “keeping up to date”.
In german, there is both “führen” and “halten”:
Ich führe ein Tagebuch.
Ich führe eine Strichliste, wie oft ich gewonnen habe.
Ich führe eine Liste der Bücher, die ich noch lesen möchte.
And “halten” is contained in the words “Buchhaltung” (bookkeeping, accounting) and “Buchhalter” (bookkeeper, accountant). I think this also refers to “aktuell halten” (keeping up to date / current).
Thank you for your comment. In my examples “up-to-date” would be inferred.