# auf-

auf- is a German prefix meaning “upwards movement”.

## In other languages

- Русский: воз-, на-

## Meanings

1. upwards movement
   - auf- + nehmen (“to take, hold”) → aufnehmen (“to pick up”)
2. change to a different, better state (chiefly with adjectives or verbs from adjectives)
   - auf- + besser (“better”) + -en → aufbessern (“to improve, supplement”)
3. amassing
   - auf- + häufen (“to pile (up)”) → aufhäufen (“to form a pile or stack”)
4. spontaneous appearance
   - auf- + lachen (“to laugh”) → auflachen (“to laugh suddenly, bark out a laugh”)
5. opening
   - auf- + decken (“to cover”) → aufdecken (“to uncover, reveal”)
6. putting something in contact with a surface (from above)
   - auf- + tragen (“to bear, carry”) → auftragen (“to apply”) (e.g. cream or salve)
7. finishing
   - auf- + essen (“to eat”) → aufessen (“to eat up, eat completely”)

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Sources: Meanings and forms from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR).
URL: https://wordwide.space/de-en/wort/auf-