Auf is a compact German preposition meaning “on” or “onto,” used in compass phrases and various compound expressions. It also appears as part of separable verbs (e.g., aufstehen = to stand up). In some contexts it functions as a prepositional prefix, influencing meaning when attached to verbs, nouns, or adjectives. Overall, it denotes placement, direction, or initiation of action.
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"- Er legt das Buch auf den Tisch. (He puts the book on the table.)"
"- Wir fahren auf die Autobahn. (We’re driving onto the highway.)"
"- Die Pflanze ist auf dem Fensterbrett. (The plant is on the windowsill.)"
"- Er steht früh auf, um arbeiten zu gehen. (He gets up early to go to work.)"
Auf originates from the Germanic element meaning “on” or “upon,” related to the Old High German affix auf, and cognate with Dutch boven and English up/on in semantic scope. It functions both as a simple preposition and as a prefix in separable verbs, where it is detached in main clause position (e.g., Ich stehe heute früh auf). The form reflects the German tendency to attach directional meaning to a small set of high-frequency atoms, with long-standing usage in spatial and figurative expressions. First attested in early medieval German texts, auf appears in many phonetic and orthographic variants before stabilizing into the modern preposition and separable-prefix usage present in contemporary Standard German. In modern usage, its core sense of direction, position, or initiation persists across contexts, from physical placement to onset of actions and idiomatic expressions (aufmachen, aufstehen, aufpassen).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "auf" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "auf" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "auf"
-auf sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as a single syllable /aʊf/. Start with an open /a/ and quickly glide to /ʊ/ while closing the lips toward a near-close position, then release with a voiceless /f/. Stress is weak in typical phrases but clear in isolated pronunciation. You’ll pronounce the diphthong smoothly, with the final /f/ crisply enunciated. IPA: /aʊf/.
Common mistakes include turning /aʊ/ into a simple /a/ or /ɔ/, or failing to devoice the /f/ leading to a voiced /v/ sound in careful speech. Another error is adding an extra syllable or breaking it into two sounds with a prolonged vowel. Correct by maintaining a tight, quick diphthong glide /aʊ/ and ending sharply with /f/, with unvoiced fricative release.
In General American, you’ll hear a crisp /aʊ/ diphthong and a clearly voiceless /f/. UK/Received Pronunciation often has a slightly tenser jaw and a crisper /f/; the vowel can be slightly centralized, but /aʊ/ remains intact. Australian English tends to be slightly broader with a more open jaw, but the /aʊ/ sequence stays intact and the final /f/ is unobstruented. IPA references: US /aʊf/, UK /aʊf/, AU /aʊf/.
The difficulty lies in the fast transition of the diphthong /aʊ/ and producing a clean, voiceless /f/ immediately after the glide, without inserting a vowel or voicing the fricative. Micro-variations in lip shape and jaw position across dialects can alter perceived vowel quality. Focused practice on the rapid diphthong onset and a crisp /f/ release will help you nail it.
Because 'auf' is a short, high-frequency preposition, your goal is a tight, compact articulation. Maintain a small mouth opening for the /a/ and quickly transition to the rounded, near-close /ʊ/ while preparing the /f/ release. Make the transition almost unnoticeable in fluent speech, so you sound natural and native-like.
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