to quiz / retrieve
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to quiz
To check a person's knowledge by asking targeted questions, for example vocabulary or study material.
Die Lehrerin fragt morgen die unregelmäßigen Verben ab.
The teacher is going to quiz us on the irregular verbs tomorrow.
'Abfragen' (to quiz / retrieve) is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab-' stands at the end in a main clause, the verb stays together in a subordinate clause, and in the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' goes in the middle.
Der Lehrer fragt heute die Vokabeln ab.
The teacher is quizzing us on the vocabulary today.
The typical structure for this verb is 'jemanden (Akkusativ) etwas (Akkusativ) abfragen' (to quiz someone on something). The person whose knowledge is being tested is therefore in the accusative.
Mein Vater fragt mich jeden Abend die Mathe-Formeln ab.
My father quizzes me on the math formulas every evening.
The context and the object make the meaning clear. In a school setting, it is about knowledge ('Vokabeln abfragen' = to quiz someone on vocabulary); in a technical area, it is about information from a system ('Daten abfragen' = to retrieve/query data).
Kannst du mich bitte die Geschichtsdaten abfragen?
Can you please quiz me on the history dates?
to check / test
'prüfen' and 'abfragen' can both mean that you want to know what someone has learned. 'prüfen' is more general and fits tests, exams, or an assessment of knowledge and skills. 'abfragen' means that someone asks targeted questions, for example about vocabulary or study material. It often sounds smaller in scope and more direct than 'prüfen'. Learners may confuse the words because when you 'abfragen' someone, knowledge is also being tested. The difference is: 'prüfen' is more about evaluating the result, while 'abfragen' describes the questioning itself.
Zu Hause fragt sie ihren Bruder die neuen Vokabeln ab.
At home, she quizzes her brother on the new vocabulary.
Heute prüft die Lehrerin, ob die Klasse den Text verstanden hat.
Today the teacher is testing whether the class understood the text.