Dictionary > auf verbs
- ist abgewichenwich ab1.
- to deviate (from)
see details >2.- to soak off
- (a label from a bottle for instance. This meaning really isn't all that usefull.)
- hat aufgearbeitetarbeitete aufsee details >1.
- to "work the past
- (Do the work to understand and come to terms with something that happened in the past)
- hat aufgebautbaute aufsee details >
- hat aufgebäumtbäumte aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufbereitetbereitete auf1.
- to process, to prepare
- (Mainly for information. The idea is that you organize it and bring it into a presentable, understandable form. )
see details >2.- to treat
- (For water, for example that gets treated to be drinkable. )
- hat aufbewahrtbewahrte aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgeblasenblies aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgeblättertblätterte aufsee details >1.
- to open
- (ONLY for books or notepads.)
- ist aufgebliebenblieb auf1.
- to stay open
2.- to stay up
- (not going to sleep)
see details >3.- to stay where it is
- (For stuff you wear on your head like headphones, glasses or caps)
- hat aufgeblicktblickte auf1.
- to look up from
- ("aufblicken von" - looking up from having your eyes in a book for instance. "hochgucken" is more idiomatic in daily life.)
see details >2.- to look up to
- ("aufblicken zu" - in the sense of admiring or taking as a role model. )
- hat aufgebrauchtbrauchte aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgebrochenbrach auf1.
- to break open
see details >2.- to head out
- (quite common in context of starting to a bigger tour, like hiking)
- hat aufgebrachtbrachte auf1.
- to upset someone
- (ONLY for upsetting people. Not for a stomach. Not very common and not very strong mostly people use the adjective "aufgebracht".)
see details >2.- to muster
- (For "human" resources like power, patience or concentration.)
- hat aufgedecktdeckte aufsee details >1.
- to uncover, to reveal
- hat aufgedrängtdrängte aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgedrehtdrehte aufsee details >
- hat aufgedrucktdruckte aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgedrücktdrückte auf1.
- to push open
- (Not very common)
2.- to force onto
- ("jemandem etwas aufdrücken" - usually in context of unwelcome work or responsibilities)
see details >3.- to press down
- (Pretty much only used in context of pressing down with a pen.)
- hat aufgegessenaß aufsee details >1.
- to eat up
- (Finish the food/plate.)
- hat aufgefahrenfuhr auf1.
- to tailgate
- (Usually in combination with "dicht". When it's too close, you could end up in an "Auffahrunfall" )
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. )
3.- to rise up, to flare up
- (ONLY in the sense of a person suddenly getting activated and agitated. Not very common.)
see details > - ist aufgefallenfiel auf1.
- 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.)
see details >2.- to stand out, to catch the eye, to be noticeable
- (Doesn't take a direct object.)
- hat aufgefaltetfaltete aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgefangenfing aufsee details >1.
- to catch (from falling)
- (The idea of falling is crucial, but it can be literal and figurative catching)
- hat aufgefasstfasste aufsee details >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.)
- hat aufgefundenfand aufsee details >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.)
- ist aufgeflogenflog auf1.
- to fly up
- (A bunch of birds suddenly flying up. RARELY USED!!)
2.- to fly open
- (For a door or a window opening abruptly. )
see details >3.- to get busted, to get exposed
- (For conspiracies or schemes or secret societies that get uncovered. Fairly common phrasing. )
- hat aufgefordertforderte aufsee details >1.
- to directly ask, to demand
- (A strong request, without bidding in it.)
- hat aufgefressenfraß aufsee details >1.
- to eat up
- (For animals eating their food completely. Colloquially, sometimes used in an endearing sense for "I could eat you.".)
- hat aufgefrischtfrischte aufsee details >1.
- to refresh, to boost
- (For refreshing knowledge and vaccinations. NOT for people refreshing themselves and NOT for refreshing web pages.)
- hat aufgeführtführte auf1.
- 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.)
2.- to list, to give
- (In the context of listing reasons or arguments. Sounds a bit formal.)
see details >3.- to behave
- ("sich+Acc aufführen" - usually used in contexts where someone behaves in a way that DOESN'T fit. )
- hat aufgefülltfüllte aufsee details >1.
- to refill, to top up
- ((Re)fill something completely, usually used in contexts where something WASN'T completely empty. )
- hat aufgegebengab auf1.
- to give up
- (Works like in English, so you can just "aufgeben" or you can "aufgeben" something.)
Opposite (closest): durchhalten2.- 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. )
see details >3.- to give
- (Pretty much only used for homework, but there, it's quite common.)
- ist aufgegangenging auf1.
- to (go) open, to come open
- (For doors, shoes, zippers and a few metaphorical contexts.)
Opposite (closest): zugehen2.- to rise, to go up
- (For the sun, the moon and dough. And a figurative "light".)
Opposite (closest): untergehen3.- to work out, to pan out
- (For plans and tactics or theories.)
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)
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.)
Opposite (closest): abgehensee details >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.)
- hat aufgegossengoss aufsee details >1.
- to steep
- (for tea. The leaves actually float up when you pour hot water over it, so "aufgießen" is quite literal)
Opposite (closest): abgießen - hat aufgegriffengriff auf1.
- to pick up
- (ONLY for topics, thoughts and similar things. NOT for actual objects)
see details >2.- to apprehend
- (For people. Quite rare in that sense)
- hat aufgehabthatte auf1.
- 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.)
Opposite (closest): zuhaben2.- to wear
- (For things you put on, like caps and hats. NOT for condoms, though :).)
see details >3.- to have
- (ONLY for homework.)
- ist aufgehaltenhielt auf1.
- to hold open
- (Mostly for doors, but also used in a figurative sense of holding the hands open for handouts.)
Opposite (closest): zuhalten2.- to stop
- (In the sense of stopping something from happening or someone from doing something. Think, super villains or technical progress.)
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")
see details >4.- to be/stay at a place
- ("sich+Acc aufhalten", sounds a bit formal.)
- hat aufgehängt1.
- to hang up
- (For picture and laundry. NOT for the phone. The word there is "auflegen")
Opposite (closest): abhängen (von)see details >2.- to freeze, to get stuck
- ("sich+Acc aufhängen" - For computers and apps. And people hanging themselves.)
- hat aufgehobenhob auf1.
- to pick up
- (In the sense of lifting up small not too heavy, inanimate objects that are laying on the floor)
Opposite (closest): liegen lassen2.- to keep
- (limited to stuff like books, stones, stamps, pictures, photos, CDs)
Opposite (closest): wegwerfensee details >3.- to cancel
- (German has several options for to cancel and this one is mostly used for lifting government restrictions or similar things.)
- hat aufgeheitertheiterte auf1.
- to cheer someone up
- (MUST have a direct object, so it doesn't work for cheering up by yourself. You do it to someone.)
see details >2.- to clear up
- (Cloudy weather changing toward sunny. Common phrase in weather forecasts.)
- hat aufgehetzthetzte aufsee details >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. )
- hat aufgehörthörte aufsee details >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")
Opposite (closest): anfangen - hat aufgeholtholte aufsee details >1.
- to catch up, to gain
- (In a sort of race or competition. Does NOT include getting equal.)
- hat aufgehorchthorchte aufsee details >1.
- to start listening attentively
- (momentary action, not in sense of longer periods)
- hat aufgekauftkaufte aufsee details >1.
- to buy up
- (Used for "bigger" things like buying lots of land or the whole stock of something.)
- hat aufgeklapptklappte aufsee details >1.
- to open
- (pretty much only for books or flyers. NOT for doors or windows.)
Opposite (closest): zuklappen - hat aufgeklärtklärte auf1.
- to clarify
- (sounds more mysterious than just "klären")
see details >2.- to unravel
- (for secrets and mysteries. THE word for detectives)
- hat aufgeklartklarte aufsee details >1.
- to clear up
- (ONLY for weather.)
- hat aufgeklebtklebte aufsee details >1.
- to glue
- (In the sense of gluing something on top of something else or on top of a surface.)
- ist aufgekommenkam auf1.
- to slowly emerge, to evolve, to arise
- (For trends, weather and mainly sentiments. NOT for ideas "coming up" suddenly.)
2.- to land, to hit the ground
- (Not for completely controlled landings)
see details >3.- to compensate financially for
- ("aufkommen für" - sounds very formal. Used for damages and expenses.)
Here's a quick overview with translations. For family, examples and more check the details.