aufholen
To catch up
Literalmente: to fetch up
Use 'aufholen' to describe working harder to close a gap in performance, distance, or time.
Em 15 segundos
- Closing a gap in distance, time, or performance.
- A separable verb where 'auf' moves to the sentence end.
- Used for sports, work, and making up for lost time.
Significado
To close a gap or reduce a distance between you and someone else, whether in a race, at work, or in your studies.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Watching a football match
Unsere Mannschaft muss jetzt schnell aufholen.
Our team needs to catch up quickly now.
Talking about school work
Ich war krank und muss viel Stoff aufholen.
I was sick and have to catch up on a lot of material.
In a business meeting
Wir müssen die Verzögerung im Projektplan aufholen.
We need to make up for the delay in the project plan.
Contexto cultural
In Germany, the concept of 'Leistungsgesellschaft' (performance-based society) makes 'aufholen' a common term. It reflects the drive to remain competitive and efficient. It is frequently used in 'Formel 1' commentary and economic news to describe Germany's position relative to global markets.
The Sleep Secret
Germans love the phrase 'Schlaf aufholen'. If you look tired on Monday, just say you need to 'Schlaf aufholen' and everyone will understand.
Not for Coffee Dates
Never use 'aufholen' to mean 'chatting with a friend.' If you say 'Lass uns aufholen,' a German might think you want to race them!
Em 15 segundos
- Closing a gap in distance, time, or performance.
- A separable verb where 'auf' moves to the sentence end.
- Used for sports, work, and making up for lost time.
What It Means
aufholen is all about closing a gap. Imagine you are running a race. You are in last place. You start running faster to reach the others. You are now aufholen. It is not just about physical distance. It works for grades, work tasks, or even sleep! You are behind, and you want to be level again.
How To Use It
This is a separable verb. This means the auf part usually jumps to the end of the sentence. You would say: Ich hole den Rückstand auf. In the past tense, you use hat aufgeholt. It is a very active, energetic word. It implies you are putting in effort to fix a delay.
When To Use It
Use it in sports when a team is losing. Use it at the office when a project is late. It is perfect for talking about school if you missed classes. You can even use it on the weekend. If you worked too much, you might need to Schlaf aufholen (catch up on sleep). It sounds very proactive and determined.
When NOT To Use It
Be careful with social situations! In English, you "catch up" with friends over coffee. In German, do NOT use aufholen for this. That would sound like you are racing your friends. Instead, use sich unterhalten or nachholen. aufholen is strictly about performance, speed, or distance. Don't use it for a relaxed chat.
Cultural Background
Germany is a culture that values punctuality and efficiency. If you are behind schedule, it is noticed. Using the word aufholen shows you recognize the delay. It signals that you are working hard to fix it. It is a very positive word in a professional setting. It shows you have a "can-do" attitude.
Common Variations
You will often hear the phrase einen Rückstand aufholen. This means "to close a gap" or "make up a deficit." Another common one is Zeit aufholen. If your train was late, the driver might try to Zeit aufholen by driving faster. It is a very common word in news reports about the economy or sports leagues.
Notas de uso
Remember that 'aufholen' focuses on the process of closing the gap. Once you actually reach the person, you use 'einholen'.
The Sleep Secret
Germans love the phrase 'Schlaf aufholen'. If you look tired on Monday, just say you need to 'Schlaf aufholen' and everyone will understand.
Not for Coffee Dates
Never use 'aufholen' to mean 'chatting with a friend.' If you say 'Lass uns aufholen,' a German might think you want to race them!
Sports Commentary
You will hear this word every 5 minutes during a Bundesliga match if a team is trailing. It's the ultimate 'comeback' verb.
Exemplos
6Unsere Mannschaft muss jetzt schnell aufholen.
Our team needs to catch up quickly now.
Used here to describe closing the score gap.
Ich war krank und muss viel Stoff aufholen.
I was sick and have to catch up on a lot of material.
Commonly used for missed lessons or homework.
Wir müssen die Verzögerung im Projektplan aufholen.
We need to make up for the delay in the project plan.
Professional way to discuss fixing a schedule.
Mein Zug hat Verspätung, aber er holt hoffentlich auf!
My train is delayed, but hopefully it catches up!
Refers to the train making up for lost time.
Ich muss heute 20 Jahre Sport aufholen.
I need to catch up on 20 years of sports today.
Humorous use regarding personal fitness debt.
Wir haben so viel verlorene Zeit aufzuholen.
We have so much lost time to catch up on.
Emotional context regarding time spent apart.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct form of 'aufholen' for the sentence: 'The runner is catching up.'
Der Läufer ___ langsam ___.
Since 'aufholen' is a separable verb, 'holt' stays in the second position and 'auf' goes to the end.
Which noun fits best with 'aufholen' in a work context?
Wir müssen den ___ aufholen.
'Rückstand' means 'backlog' or 'deficit', which is the most common thing to 'aufholen' at work.
🎉 Pontuação: /2
Recursos visuais
Formality of 'aufholen'
Used with friends about sleep or video games.
Ich hole Schlaf auf.
Standard usage in everyday conversation.
Er holt den Rückstand auf.
Used in business reports or news.
Die Firma holt gegenüber der Konkurrenz auf.
Where to use 'aufholen'
Sports
Closing a point gap.
Education
Learning missed lessons.
Work
Fixing a project delay.
Health
Catching up on sleep.
Perguntas frequentes
11 perguntasIt means to close a gap. If you are behind someone and you move faster to reach them, you are aufholen.
Yes, it is! In a normal sentence, the auf goes to the very end, like in Ich hole den Rückstand auf.
No, that is a common mistake. For social catching up, use sich unterhalten or sich treffen. aufholen is for speed and distance.
aufholen is about closing a gap in speed or distance. nachholen is for doing something you missed earlier, like an exam or a missed movie night.
You say Schlaf aufholen. It is a very common expression on weekends in Germany.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your teacher, or your best friend without any issues.
A Rückstand is a backlog or a deficit. It is the most common word used with aufholen.
Absolutely! If you are running and getting closer to the person in front of you, you are aufholen.
The past tense is holte auf and the perfect tense is hat aufgeholt.
Usually, yes. It implies that you are making progress and fixing a delay or a gap.
Yes, if one company is behind another in technology, they try to technologisch aufholen.
Frases relacionadas
nachholen
To make up for something missed (like an exam).
einholen
To actually reach/catch the person you were following.
überholen
To overtake someone.
dranbleiben
To stay close/keep up with someone.
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