außen
outside
On the outside of something; not inside.
EXAMPLE
Das Paket hat außen eine Adresse, aber innen war es leer.
The package has an address on the outside, but inside it was empty.
außen
outside
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
außen
outside
Outdoors; not in an enclosed room or building.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem schönen Wetter wollen die Kinder nur noch außen spielen.
In this beautiful weather, the children only want to play outside.
Usage tips
Adverb of position
'Außen' (outside) is an adverb of place and answers the question 'Wo?' (Where?). It describes a static position, not movement.
EXAMPLE
Bitte warten Sie außen vor der Tür.
Please wait outside in front of the door.
Combination with prepositions
'Außen' (outside) is often combined with prepositions to indicate origin or direction. 'Von außen' (from the outside) describes where something comes from, and 'nach außen' (outward/to the outside) describes a direction or orientation.
EXAMPLE
Das Haus sieht von außen sehr alt aus.
The house looks very old from the outside.
Word formation
'Außen' (outside/exterior) serves as the first part of many compound words. Examples are 'die Außenseite' (the outside), 'die Außentemperatur' (the outside temperature), or 'die Außenpolitik' (foreign policy).
EXAMPLE
Die Außentemperatur beträgt nur fünf Grad.
The outside temperature is only five degrees.
Compare with
außen vs außerhalb
outside
Außerhalb and außen both refer to something that is not inside. Außerhalb describes a place beyond a defined area. Außen, by contrast, means the outer side of an object or space.
außen
Der Zettel klebt außen am Schrank.
The note is stuck to the outside of the cupboard.
außerhalb
Der Karton steht außerhalb des Schranks.
The box is outside the cupboard.
In real life
Loading video examples...