Verb

raffen

hat gerafft · raffte
1.

to understand

(Very colloquial - usually in contexts of (not) understanding something difficult.)
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Examples
  • Ich raff's einfach nicht - warum ist eine 10 kg Hantel teurer als eine Jeans.
  • I just don't get it - why is a 20 pound dumbbell more expensive than a pair of jeans.
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2.

to ruffle

(MEGA RARE and pretty much only used with a few prefixes. By itself, you can find it in the context of skirts and fabric, but it's really not something you need.)
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Examples
  • Thomas hat seine Hose an den Knien hochgerafft, bevor er durchs Gras gelaufen ist.
  • Thomas ruffled up his pants at the knees before walking through the grass.

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Sources for Etymology:

My Articles

The meaning of “aufraffen”

"aufraffen" is one of the words that you only notice once you know them. It's quite common in daily life and very useful for getting your butt of the couch :)

Vocab: raffen, aufraffen, raffgierig, die Raffsucht, der Raffzahn, verraffen

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How many meanings does the German word 'raffen' have?

raffen has 2 distinct meanings: 1. to understand, 2. to ruffle.

What is the past tense of 'raffen'?

hat gerafft / raffte

What is 'raffen' related to?

This is a standalone entry with no parent word listed.

Where can I learn more about 'raffen'?

Here are some articles where you can learn more about 'raffen':

The meaning of “aufraffen”
"aufraffen" is one of the words that you only notice once you know them. It's quite common in daily life and very useful for getting your butt of the couch :)
Vocab: raffen, aufraffen, raffgierig, die Raffsucht, der Raffzahn, verraffen
Read article