to thaw
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to thaw
To slowly warm something frozen, usually food, or leave it at room temperature until it is no longer frozen.
Du musst das Fleisch rechtzeitig aus dem Gefrierschrank nehmen, damit es auftauen kann.
You need to take the meat out of the freezer in time so that it can thaw.
to thaw
In a figurative sense, it describes a person overcoming their initial shyness or reserve and becoming more open, talkative, and relaxed.
Am Anfang war sie sehr still, aber im Laufe des Abends ist sie sichtlich aufgetaut.
At first she was very quiet, but over the course of the evening she visibly thawed.
to thaw
Describes the process in which ice and snow melt because of temperatures above freezing point (0°C).
Sobald die Sonne herauskam, begannen die vereisten Straßen langsam aufzutauen.
As soon as the sun came out, the icy roads slowly began to thaw.
'Auftauen' (to thaw) is a separable verb with the prefix 'auf-'. In a main clause, the prefix comes at the end of the sentence. The base verb 'tauen' means 'to melt/thaw'.
Ich taue das Hähnchen für das Abendessen auf.
I am thawing the chicken for dinner.
The perfect tense is formed with 'haben' (to have) or 'sein' (to be). You use 'haben' when you actively thaw something (transitive). You use 'sein' when something thaws by itself or when a person 'auftaut' (thaws) (intransitive).
Ich habe die Suppe in der Mikrowelle aufgetaut.
I thawed the soup in the microwave.
The figurative meaning is a metaphor. A shy or reserved person is initially like 'gefroren' (frozen). When they become more relaxed and open, 'taut sie auf' (they thaw).
Nachdem wir über Musik gesprochen haben, ist er richtig aufgetaut.
After we talked about music, he really thawed.
In the kitchen, 'auftauen' (to thaw) is typically used with frozen foods. Common objects are 'Fleisch' (meat), 'Gemüse' (vegetables), 'Brot' (bread), or 'eine Tiefkühlpizza' (a frozen pizza).
Lass uns das Brot für das Frühstück heute Abend schon auftauen.
Let's thaw the bread for breakfast already this evening.
to melt
Auftauen means that something frozen is no longer frozen; it does not have to become liquid. Schmelzen, by contrast, refers to the transition from a solid to a liquid state. With frozen foods, the choice therefore depends on the state that has been reached.
Die gefrorene Butter taut im Kühlschrank langsam auf und wird weich.
The frozen butter slowly thaws in the refrigerator and becomes soft.
Die Butter schmilzt im warmen Topf und wird flüssig.
The butter melts in the warm pot and becomes liquid.
