auf

See also: auf-

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English auph, aulf, from Old Norse. See elf.

Noun

auf (plural aufs)

  1. (obsolete) A changeling or elf child; a child left by fairies.
  2. (obsolete) A deformed or foolish child; a simpleton; an oaf.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Drayton to this entry?)

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for auf in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

Anagrams

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German ūf, from Old High German ūf, from Proto-Germanic *upp. This form with a lengthened vowel is originally Upper German. Central German forms were Middle High German uf and (western) up. Compare Luxembourgish op, Dutch op, English up.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /aʊ̯f/
  • audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -aʊ̯f

Preposition

auf

  1. in
    Was bedeutet das auf Deutsch?
    What does this mean in German?
  2. (with dative) on, upon
    Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
    The book is lying on the table.
  3. (with dative) in, at; used with certain nouns instead of bei or in
    auf der Kirmes — at the fun fair
    auf der Post — at the post office (also: bei der Post)
  4. (with accusative) on, onto
    Leg das Buch auf den Tisch!
    Put the book on the table!
  5. (with accusative) to; used with certain nouns instead of zu or in
    auf die Kirmes — to the fun fair
    auf die Post — to the post office (also: zur Post)
  6. (archaic or colloquial, regional, northern and western Germany) on (a day; usually of the week)
    Du kannst doch auf (’n) Sonntag nich’ den Rasen mähen!
    You can’t mow the lawn on a Sunday!

Usage notes

  • The preposition is used with accusative case when the verb shows movement from one place to another, whereas it is used with dative case when the verb shows location.
  • Generally speaking, auf is used when referring to something being on a horizontal surface, as opposed to an, which usually points to a vertical surface.

Synonyms

  • (on a day): an

Adverb

auf

  1. (somewhat informal) open
    Die Tür ist auf.
    The door is open.
  2. (colloquial) finished; gone (food)
    Hast du deine Suppe auf?
    Have you finished your soup?
    Die Milch is’ auf.
    The milk is gone. (= All the milk has been consumed.)

Usage notes

  • Compare to the latter example the phrase: Die Milch ist aus, which would mean that all the milk has been sold out, e.g. from a supermarket.

Synonyms

Interjection

auf

  1. carry on
  2. have a go
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