01
aus
from
Indicates origin from a country, city, or place.
example
Meine Familie kommt ursprünglich aus Italien.
My family originally comes from Italy.
aus
from / out
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Always with dative
The preposition 'aus' always requires the dative. Make sure to decline the article and pronoun after 'aus' correctly.
EXAMPLE
Er kommt aus einem kleinen Dorf.
He comes from a small village.
Indicating origin
'Aus' is the standard word used to indicate geographic origin from a country, city, or region. It answers the question 'Woher?' (from where?).
EXAMPLE
Dieser Wein kommt aus Frankreich.
This wine comes from France.
Describing material
When you want to say what something is made of, you use the structure 'aus + Material' (made of + material). Typical combinations are 'aus Holz' (made of wood), 'aus Glas' (made of glass), or 'aus Plastik' (made of plastic).
EXAMPLE
Dieser Tisch ist komplett aus Holz gefertigt.
This table is made entirely of wood.
Reason and motivation
'Aus' can also indicate the inner reason or motivation for an action. It often appears with feelings or abstract nouns such as 'aus Angst' (out of fear), 'aus Liebe' (out of love), or 'aus Versehen' (by accident).
EXAMPLE
Er hat ihr aus reiner Neugier geantwortet.
He answered her out of pure curiosity.
Adverbial use
As an adverb or as part of a separable verb, 'aus' means something like 'ausgeschaltet' (switched off) or 'beendet' (finished). It is the opposite of 'an' (on).
EXAMPLE
Ist der Herd wirklich aus?
Is the stove really off?
Compare with
aus vs in
in
'in' and 'aus' are often opposites when talking about movement. 'in' is used when someone or something goes into a room, a building, or an area. 'aus' is used when someone or something comes from inside to outside. The words can be confused because both have to do with inside and outside. But the perspective is different: 'in' points inward, while 'aus' points outward.
aus
Mein Bruder ist wegen des Alarms schnell aus dem Gebäude gelaufen.
Because of the alarm, my brother quickly ran out of the building.
in
Der Lehrer geht in den Klassenraum und beginnt den Unterricht.
The teacher goes into the classroom and starts the lesson.
In real life
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