called tx

Dictionary > auf verbs

    Here's a quick overview with translations. For family, examples and more check the details.
  • abweichen (von)
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): ist abgewichen
    Preterite (written past): wich ab
    1.
    to deviate (from)
    How useful:
    2.
    to soak off
    (a label from a bottle for instance. This meaning really isn't all that usefull.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufarbeiten
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgearbeitet
    Preterite (written past): arbeitete auf
    1.
    to "work the past
    (Do the work to understand and come to terms with something that happened in the past)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufatmen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeatmet
    Preterite (written past): atmete auf
    1.
    to take a breath of relief
    (Quite common in a figurative sense of relaxing after a moment of danger or tension. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbauen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgebaut
    Preterite (written past): baute auf
    1.
    to build (up)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): abbauen
    see details >
  • aufbäumen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgebäumt
    Preterite (written past): bäumte auf
    1.
    to rear up, to prance, to rise up against
    ("sich+Acc aufbäumen (gegen)" - originally, what animals do if they want something off their back, but it's also used figuratively for societal movements. Always used reflexively.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbekommen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufbekommen
    Preterite (written past): bekam auf
    1.
    to manage to open
    ("aufkriegen" is more common in daily life for all ideas.)
    How useful:
    2.
    to get put on
    (ONLY in the sense of someone getting headphones, glasses or a hat from someone.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): zubekommen
    3.
    to get
    (ONLY for homework.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbereiten
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufbereitet
    Preterite (written past): bereitete auf
    1.
    to process, to prepare
    (Mainly for information. The idea is that you organize it and bring it into a presentable, understandable form. )
    How useful:
    2.
    to treat
    (For water, for example that gets treated to be drinkable. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbewahren
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufbewahrt
    Preterite (written past): bewahrte auf
    1.
    to keep, to store
    (The main idea is that you don't throw or give something away. Sounds a bit „caring“. Used for small items and documents.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbieten
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeboten
    Preterite (written past): bot auf
    1.
    to mobilize, to call on, to summon, to "deploy"
    (The core idea is that you bring a substantial amount of resources to a task. Used for "forces" in some way, but it would also work for a crazy amount of wedding cakes at a wedding. Rare overall.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufblasen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeblasen
    Preterite (written past): blies auf
    1.
    to blow up, to inflate
    (ONLY in the sense of blowing air into something, like a ballon for example. And sometimes in a figurative sense of making bigger than it needs to be. But NOT for "blowing up" in the sense of disruption and also not "inflating" for numbers.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufblättern
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeblättert
    Preterite (written past): blätterte auf
    1.
    to open
    (ONLY for books or physical notebooks. NOT for laptops and other stuff that can be opened. The core is "turning pages")
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbleiben
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): ist aufgeblieben
    Preterite (written past): blieb auf
    1.
    to stay open
    How useful:
    2.
    to stay up
    (not going to sleep)
    How useful:
    3.
    to stay where it is
    (For stuff you wear on your head like headphones, glasses or caps)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufblicken
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeblickt
    Preterite (written past): blickte auf
    1.
    to look up from
    ("aufblicken von" - looking up from having your eyes in a book for instance. "hochgucken" is more idiomatic in daily life.)
    How useful:
    2.
    to look up to
    ("aufblicken zu" - in the sense of admiring or taking as a role model. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbrauchen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgebraucht
    Preterite (written past): brauchte auf
    1.
    to use up
    (Not too common. Usually in sense of food, and it puts a slight stress on using as opposed to throwing it away.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbrechen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgebrochen
    Preterite (written past): brach auf
    1.
    to break open
    How useful:
    2.
    to head out
    (quite common in context of starting to a bigger tour, like hiking)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbringen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgebracht
    Preterite (written past): brachte auf
    1.
    to upset someone
    (ONLY for upsetting people. Not for a stomach. Not very common and not very strong mostly people use the adjective "aufgebracht".)
    How useful:
    2.
    to muster
    (For "human" resources like power, patience or concentration.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufbrummen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgebrummt
    Preterite (written past): aufbrummend
    1.
    to give someone
    ("jemandem+Dat etwas aufbrummen" - colloquial phrase for the idea of giving someone unwanted work or tasks.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufdecken
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgedeckt
    Preterite (written past): deckte auf
    1.
    to uncover, to reveal
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufdrängen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgedrängt
    Preterite (written past): drängte auf
    1.
    to push something on someone
    ("jemandem etwas aufdrängen" - not very common. Also works for pushing yourself into someone's space. It's not used for context that are actually threatening.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufdrehen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgedreht
    Preterite (written past): drehte auf
    1.
    to turn on/up
    (For water, music and metaphorically for energy.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): zudrehen
    see details >
  • aufdrucken
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgedruckt
    Preterite (written past): druckte auf
    1.
    to print on
    (Not very common. Used in context of good with prints, like cups or shirts, but from the "perspective" of the print, not the object. The derived noun is more useful.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufdrücken
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgedrückt
    Preterite (written past): drückte auf
    1.
    to push open
    (Not very common)
    How useful:
    2.
    to force onto
    ("jemandem etwas aufdrücken" - usually in context of unwelcome work or responsibilities)
    How useful:
    3.
    to press down
    (Pretty much only used in context of pressing down with a pen.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufessen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgegessen
    Preterite (written past): aß auf
    1.
    to eat up
    (Finish the food/plate.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffahren
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefahren
    Preterite (written past): fuhr auf
    1.
    to tailgate
    (Usually in combination with "dicht". When it's too close, you could end up in an "Auffahrunfall" )
    How useful:
    2.
    to muster, to put up
    (In the sense of making quite a material effort while hosting an event or something. You "bring a lot to the table" if you will. )
    How useful:
    3.
    to rise up, to flare up
    (ONLY in the sense of a person suddenly getting activated and agitated. Not very common.)
    How useful:
    4.
    to drive up on
    ("auffahren auf" - for highways.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): abfahren
    see details >
  • auffallen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): ist aufgefallen
    Preterite (written past): fiel auf
    1.
    to catch someone’s attention, to be noticed by someone
    ("jemandem auffallen" - it's often used where English would say "to notice". The roles are basically reversed in German.)
    How useful:
    2.
    to stand out, to catch the eye, to be noticeable
    (Doesn't take a direct object.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffalten
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefaltet
    Preterite (written past): faltete auf
    1.
    to unfold
    (Pretty much only used for actually unfolding a folded piece of paper. Like a map for example. NOT used in the figurative sense that "unfold" is used.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffangen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefangen
    Preterite (written past): fing auf
    1.
    to catch (from falling)
    (The idea of falling is crucial, but it can be literal and figurative catching)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffassen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefasst
    Preterite (written past): fasste auf
    1.
    to interpret, to take something, to understand
    (The core theme of the verb is the way you take something, like a comment or a text. The way you "auffassen" it is how you understand it subjectively, not about understanding the facts of it.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffinden
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefunden
    Preterite (written past): fand auf
    1.
    to find
    (Pretty formal sounding version. Not common at all, and pretty much only used in contexts of going somewhere and "finding" someone or something half expected there. Think of a police report. The adjective "auffindbar" is more common.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffliegen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): ist aufgeflogen
    Preterite (written past): flog auf
    1.
    to fly up
    (A bunch of birds suddenly flying up. RARELY USED!!)
    How useful:
    2.
    to fly open
    (For a door or a window opening abruptly. )
    How useful:
    3.
    to get busted, to get exposed
    (For conspiracies or schemes or secret societies that get uncovered. Fairly common phrasing. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffordern (zu)
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefordert
    Preterite (written past): forderte auf
    1.
    to directly ask, to demand
    (A strong request, without bidding in it.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffressen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefressen
    Preterite (written past): fraß auf
    1.
    to eat up
    (For animals eating their food completely. Colloquially, sometimes used in an endearing sense for "I could eat you.".)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffrischen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefrischt
    Preterite (written past): frischte auf
    1.
    to refresh, to boost
    (For refreshing knowledge and vaccinations. NOT for people refreshing themselves and NOT for refreshing web pages.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufführen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeführt
    Preterite (written past): führte auf
    1.
    to present, to show
    (In the context of presenting a play or opera or something similar. The original sense was probably "leading onto the stage". Sounds a bit "classy" so it's not a good fit for stand-up comedy.)
    How useful:
    2.
    to list, to give
    (In the context of listing reasons or arguments. Sounds a bit formal.)
    How useful:
    3.
    to behave
    ("sich+Acc aufführen" - usually used in contexts where someone behaves in a way that DOESN'T fit. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • auffüllen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgefüllt
    Preterite (written past): füllte auf
    1.
    to refill, to top up
    ((Re)fill something completely, usually used in contexts where something WASN'T completely empty. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufgeben
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgegeben
    Preterite (written past): gab auf
    1.
    to give up
    (Works like in English, so you can just "aufgeben" or you can "aufgeben" something.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): durchhalten
    2.
    to send, to "place"
    (Official terms for sending parcels at the post office and for placing a classified ad in a newspaper. Both uses are a bit out of date these days. )
    How useful:
    3.
    to give
    (Pretty much only used for homework, but there, it's quite common.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufgehen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): ist aufgegangen
    Preterite (written past): ging auf
    1.
    to (go) open, to come open
    (For doors, shoes, zippers and a few metaphorical contexts.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): zugehen
    2.
    to rise, to go up
    (For the sun, the moon and dough. And a figurative "light".)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): untergehen
    3.
    to work out, to pan out
    (For plans and tactics or theories.)
    How useful:
    4.
    to find (complete) fulfillment, to get lost in
    ("aufgehen in+Dat" - in a positive sense for jobs, activities and hobbies where you really lose yourself in a good way. Also for something being integrated into something else, like a company for instance, but that's hard to use idiomatically)
    How useful:
    5.
    to go up on stage
    (It's the proper term for going on stage in the context of a show, especially theater and other classical stuff.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): abgehen
    6.
    to suddenly "be understood" by someone
    ("jemandem+Dat aufgehen" - Used for facts or connections that become clear to someone, a bit like an epiphany. You can think of it as a light rising, or as a "flower of knowledge" opening.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufgießen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgegossen
    Preterite (written past): goss auf
    1.
    to steep
    (for tea. The leaves actually float up when you pour hot water over it, so "aufgießen" is quite literal)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): abgießen
    see details >
  • aufgreifen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgegriffen
    Preterite (written past): griff auf
    1.
    to pick up
    (ONLY for topics, thoughts and similar things in the sense of "taking them" to talk about them or deal with them. NOT for actual objects. And not for "picking up" in a sense of learning or understanding.)
    How useful:
    2.
    to apprehend
    (For people. Quite rare in that sense)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufhaben
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgehabt
    Preterite (written past): hatte auf
    1.
    to be open
    (In the context with stores and other venues. There's no real difference to "auf sein" except with "haben" it sounds a bit more like it's about the team. Also no real difference to "offen haben". It's just a wee bit more colloquial.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): zuhaben
    2.
    to wear
    (For things you put on, like caps and hats. NOT for condoms, though :).)
    How useful:
    3.
    to have
    (ONLY for homework.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufhalten
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): ist aufgehalten
    Preterite (written past): hielt auf
    1.
    to hold open
    (Mostly for doors, but also used in a figurative sense of holding the hands open for handouts.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): zuhalten
    2.
    to stop
    (In the sense of stopping something from happening or someone from doing something. Think, super villains or technical progress.)
    How useful:
    3.
    to slow down, to hold up
    (In the sense of holding up someone, stopping them from progressing. Also used reflexively for contexts of (not) delaing with something - "sich+Acc aufhalten mit")
    How useful:
    4.
    to be/stay at a place
    ("sich+Acc aufhalten", sounds a bit formal.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufhängen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgehängt
    Preterite (written past): hängte auf
    1.
    to hang up
    (For picture and laundry. For phone, the more common term is "auflegen". "aufhängen" is only used in some regions for phones.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): abhängen (von)
    2.
    to freeze, to get stuck
    ("sich+Acc aufhängen" - For computers and apps. And people hanging themselves.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufheben
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgehoben
    Preterite (written past): hob auf
    1.
    to pick up
    (In the sense of lifting up small not too heavy, inanimate objects that are laying on the floor)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): liegen lassen
    2.
    to keep
    (For "small" stuff like clothes, receipts, photos and so on. NOT for a car or a big piece of furniture - there, "behalten" sounds better.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): wegwerfen
    3.
    to cancel
    (German has several options for to cancel and this one is mostly used for lifting government restrictions or similar things.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufheitern
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeheitert
    Preterite (written past): heiterte auf
    1.
    to cheer someone up
    (MUST have a direct object, so it doesn't work for cheering up by yourself. You do it to someone.)
    How useful:
    2.
    to clear up
    (Cloudy weather changing toward sunny. Common phrase in weather forecasts.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufhetzen (gegen)
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgehetzt
    Preterite (written past): hetzte auf
    1.
    to rile someone up against
    (Generally negative sounding. So not a good fit for an inspiring revolutionary speech that comes from a good heart. )
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufhören
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgehört
    Preterite (written past): hörte auf
    1.
    to stop
    (ONLY in the sense of "stopping/ceasing with doing something". NOT for stopping someone else doing something and NOT for stopping a moving thing. , Main phrasings are "aufhören + zu" and "aufhören + mit + noun")
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): anfangen
    see details >
  • aufholen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeholt
    Preterite (written past): holte auf
    1.
    to catch up, to gain
    (In a sort of race or competition. Does NOT include getting equal.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufhorchen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgehorcht
    Preterite (written past): horchte auf
    1.
    to start listening attentively
    (momentary action, not in sense of longer periods)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufkaufen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgekauft
    Preterite (written past): kaufte auf
    1.
    to buy up
    (Used for "bigger" things like buying lots of land or the whole stock of something.)
    How useful:
    see details >
  • aufklappen
    (auf verb)
    Perfect (spoken past): hat aufgeklappt
    Preterite (written past): klappte auf
    1.
    to open
    (pretty much only for books or flyers. NOT for doors or windows.)
    How useful:
    Opposite (closest): zuklappen
    see details >


Never miss out!

Join over 20.000 German learners and get my epic newsletter whenever I post a new article :)

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Moon for nightmode