aufwachen
to wake up
To stop sleeping and be conscious again.
EXAMPLE
Ich wache meistens auf, bevor der Wecker klingelt.
I usually wake up before the alarm clock rings.
aufwachen
to wake up
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Meanings
aufwachen
to wake up
(Figurative) To recognize the reality of a situation, often after having been deceived for a long time, being naive, or not noticing a development.
EXAMPLE
Als sie die Schulden bemerkte, ist sie endlich aufgewacht und hat ihr Konsumverhalten geändert.
When she noticed the debts, she finally woke up and changed her spending habits.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Aufwachen' (to wake up) is a separable verb. The prefix 'auf' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Wachst du am Wochenende auch immer so spät auf?
Do you always wake up so late on weekends too?
Perfect tense with 'sein'
The perfect tense of 'aufwachen' (to wake up) is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be), because it describes a change of state (from asleep to awake).
EXAMPLE
Ich bin heute Morgen um sechs Uhr aufgewacht.
I woke up at six o'clock this morning.
Typical prepositions
When stating the reason for waking up, the prepositions 'von' (from/by, for a noise or cause) or 'aus' (from/out of, for a state such as a dream) are often used.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist vom Lärm der Baustelle aufgewacht.
She woke up from the noise of the construction site.
Context clue
You can often recognize the figurative meaning from words like 'endlich' (finally) or 'jetzt' (now). The context usually describes a situation in which someone recognizes a deception or problem after a long time.
EXAMPLE
Nachdem er seinen Job verloren hatte, ist er endlich aufgewacht und hat angefangen, nach neuen Möglichkeiten zu suchen.
After he lost his job, he finally woke up and started looking for new opportunities.
Compare with
aufwachen vs erwachen
to awaken
Aufwachen and erwachen both refer to the end of sleep. Aufwachen is the neutral choice in everyday speech, while erwachen usually sounds elevated or literary. So aufwachen is appropriate in a normal conversation, whereas erwachen can fit a solemn narrative.
aufwachen
Im Alltag erzählt Mia, dass sie heute schon um sechs Uhr aufgewacht ist.
In everyday conversation, Mia says that she woke up as early as six o’clock today.
erwachen
In der Erzählung erwachte Mia beim ersten Licht des Morgens.
In the story, Mia awakened at the first light of morning.
In real life
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