01
sich ausruhen
to rest
To take a break in order to recover from physical or mental effort and regain strength.
example
Nach der langen Wanderung müssen wir uns erst einmal ausruhen.
After the long hike, we first need to rest.
ausruhen
to rest
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Separable verb
'Ausruhen' (to rest) is a separable verb. The prefix 'aus' comes at the end of the sentence in main clauses.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Mittagessen ruhe ich mich immer eine halbe Stunde aus.
After lunch, I always rest for half an hour.
Reflexive verb
In the main meaning 'sich erholen' (to recover), the verb is reflexive. You must always use 'sich': ich ruhe mich aus, du ruhst dich aus, etc.
EXAMPLE
Du siehst müde aus, du solltest dich etwas ausruhen.
You look tired; you should rest a little.
Fixed preposition
The figurative meaning 'to stop making an effort because of successes' always uses the preposition 'auf' with the dative. The pattern is: sich auf etwas (dative) ausruhen.
EXAMPLE
Er kann sich nicht auf seinen alten Erfolgen ausruhen, er muss weiterarbeiten.
He cannot rest on his old successes; he has to keep working.
Context clue
The two meanings are easy to distinguish: when the verb appears without the preposition 'auf', it is about physical recovery. With 'sich auf etwas ausruhen' (to rest on something), the figurative, negative meaning is always meant.
EXAMPLE
Ich ruhe mich am Wochenende aus.
I rest on the weekend.
Compare with
ausruhen vs schlafen
to sleep
'schlafen' and 'sich ausruhen' can both serve recovery, but they do not mean the same thing. When you 'schlafen', you are actually asleep. When you 'sich ausruhen', you take a break and regain strength; you can stay awake, sit, lie down, or calmly drink something. Learners confuse the words because people often recover through sleep. If someone only needs a break, 'sich ausruhen' fits better. If someone closes their eyes and falls asleep, you say 'schlafen'.
ausruhen
Nach dem Training ruhe ich mich eine halbe Stunde auf dem Sofa aus.
After training, I rest on the sofa for half an hour.
schlafen
Das Kind schläft schon, weil es den ganzen Tag draußen gespielt hat.
The child is already asleep because they played outside all day.
In real life
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