to work through / refurbish / catch up
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to work through
To deal with a stressful or difficult experience from the past in order to process it emotionally.
Nach der Trennung brauchte er Zeit, um die Beziehung aufzuarbeiten.
After the breakup, he needed time to work through the relationship.
to refurbish
To repair and renew an old or worn object, often a piece of furniture, so that it looks like new again or can be used again.
Sie hat den alten Sessel vom Dachboden liebevoll aufgearbeitet.
She lovingly refurbished the old armchair from the attic.
to catch up on
To gradually complete an accumulated amount of unfinished work or tasks.
Nach meinem Urlaub muss ich erst einmal hunderte E-Mails aufarbeiten.
After my vacation, I first have to catch up on hundreds of emails.
to use up
To use leftover materials completely for making something.
Die Stoffreste wurden zu kleinen Taschen aufgearbeitet.
The fabric scraps were used up to make small bags.
'Aufarbeiten' is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'auf' goes at the end; in a subordinate clause, the verb stays together; and in the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' goes in the middle.
Er arbeitet seine Vergangenheit auf.
He works through his past.
The context reveals the meaning: Is it about feelings or the past (emotional)? About furniture (renewing)? Or about emails and files (unfinished work)?
Er muss den Tod seines Vaters noch aufarbeiten.
He still has to work through his father's death.
In the emotional sense, 'aufarbeiten' (to work through) is often combined with abstract nouns such as 'die Vergangenheit' (the past), 'ein Trauma' (a trauma), 'Erlebnisse' (experiences), or 'eine Beziehung' (a relationship).
In der Therapie konnte sie viele Kindheitserlebnisse aufarbeiten.
In therapy, she was able to work through many childhood experiences.
When it is about unfinished tasks, typical objects are 'ein Rückstand' (a backlog), 'ein Stapel Arbeit' (a pile of work), or 'Protokolle' (minutes/reports).
Nach dem Urlaub hatte sie einen riesigen Rückstand an Arbeit aufzuarbeiten.
After the vacation, she had a huge backlog of work to catch up on.
to process
Verarbeiten refers to the inner process through which someone emotionally copes with and accepts a stressful experience. Aufarbeiten emphasizes consciously and often thoroughly dealing with a difficult experience from the past. Verarbeiten fits the emotional outcome, while aufarbeiten fits deliberately working through the experience.
In den Gesprächen arbeitet Paul die schwere Erfahrung aus seiner Jugend gründlich auf.
In the sessions, Paul thoroughly works through the difficult experience from his youth.
Durch die Gespräche kann Paul die schwere Erfahrung langsam verarbeiten.
Talking about it helps Paul slowly process the difficult experience.
