abräumen
to clear away
To remove objects from a surface, especially dishes and cutlery from a table after a meal.
EXAMPLE
Könntest du mir bitte helfen, den Tisch abzuräumen?
Could you please help me clear the table?
abräumen
to clear away / clean up
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Meanings
abräumen
to clean up
Colloquial for winning many prizes or awards, or achieving great success in a competition.
EXAMPLE
Bei der Preisverleihung hat der Newcomer-Film richtig abgeräumt.
At the awards ceremony, the newcomer film really cleaned up.
abräumen
to clear away
To remove debris, rubble, snow, or other obstacles in order to clear an area.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Erdrutsch mussten die Helfer tonnenweise Geröll abräumen.
After the landslide, the helpers had to clear away tons of rubble.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Abräumen' (to clear away / clean up) is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab-' comes at the end in a main clause, but remains attached to the verb in a subordinate clause. In the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' comes between 'ab' and 'räumen'.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Essen räumt sie den Tisch ab.
After the meal, she clears the table.
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'ab-' here means 'away' or 'remove'. Whether it is dishes, prizes, or rubble—in all meanings, something is taken away from a surface or out of an area.
EXAMPLE
Die Freiwilligen räumten den Müll am Strand ab.
The volunteers cleared away the trash on the beach.
Typical collocations
In the literal meaning, 'abräumen' (to clear away) is usually combined with the place or the objects being removed. Typical phrases are: 'den Tisch abräumen' (to clear the table), 'das Geschirr abräumen' (to clear away the dishes), or 'die Teller abräumen' (to clear away the plates).
EXAMPLE
Wer räumt heute Abend den Tisch ab?
Who is clearing the table this evening?
Colloquial meaning
The meaning 'to win many prizes' is colloquial and is often used in sports or cultural reporting. It sounds dynamic and expresses overwhelming success.
EXAMPLE
Die junge Athletin hat bei den Meisterschaften drei Medaillen abgeräumt.
The young athlete cleaned up three medals at the championships.
Context clue
This meaning is used for large-scale cleanup work. Pay attention to the context: Is it about everyday things like dishes, or about obstacles such as debris, snow, or rubble?
EXAMPLE
Die Feuerwehr musste die umgestürzten Bäume von der Straße abräumen.
The fire department had to clear the fallen trees from the road.
Compare with
abräumen vs gewinnen
to win / gain
„Gewinnen“ means being successful in a competition, and it also works for a single success. „Abräumen“ is more colloquial and emphasizes that someone receives a particularly large number of prizes or awards. Use „gewinnen“ for a specific victory and „abräumen“ for a striking series of successes.
abräumen
Die junge Sängerin räumte bei der Preisverleihung gleich mehrere Auszeichnungen ab.
The young singer cleaned up at the awards ceremony, winning several awards.
gewinnen
Unsere Mannschaft gewann das Finale mit zwei Toren Vorsprung.
Our team won the final by two goals.
In real life
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