schärfen
to sharpen
To make an object, especially a blade, pointed or able to cut.
EXAMPLE
Der Koch muss vor der Arbeit seine Messer schärfen.
The cook has to sharpen his knives before work.
schärfen
to sharpen
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Meanings
schärfen
to sharpen
To make the senses, the mind, or awareness more precise, attentive, or intense.
EXAMPLE
Reisen kann den Blick für andere Kulturen schärfen.
Traveling can sharpen your view of other cultures.
schärfen
to tighten
To make a rule, law, or control stricter or more effective.
EXAMPLE
Die Regierung plant, die Strafen für Steuerhinterziehung zu schärfen.
The government plans to tighten the penalties for tax evasion.
schärfen
to spice up
To make a dish or food spicier by adding hot spices such as chili or pepper.
EXAMPLE
Mit etwas Chili kannst du die Soße noch schärfen.
You can spice up the sauce a bit more with some chili.
schärfen
to focus
In photography, to focus an image or a section of an image so that the contours become clear and distinct.
EXAMPLE
Die Kamera schärft automatisch auf das Gesicht im Vordergrund.
The camera automatically focuses on the face in the foreground.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'schärfen' (to sharpen) is derived directly from the adjective 'scharf' (sharp). It literally means to make something sharp. This logic applies to all meanings: a knife, the mind, a law, or an image.
EXAMPLE
Diese Übung soll deine Beobachtungsgabe schärfen.
This exercise is meant to sharpen your powers of observation.
Sentence structure
'Schärfen' (to sharpen) is a transitive verb and almost always requires an accusative object. So you almost always have to say what is being sharpened.
EXAMPLE
Der Redner versuchte, das Bewusstsein für das Problem zu schärfen.
The speaker tried to raise awareness of the problem.
Context clue
You can always recognize the exact meaning of 'schärfen' (to sharpen) from the object: a knife is made able to cut, one's view becomes more attentive, and a law becomes stricter.
EXAMPLE
Man kann eine Soße mit Chili schärfen.
You can spice up a sauce with chili.
Typical collocations
In its figurative meaning, 'schärfen' (to sharpen) is often used with mental or perceptual abilities. Typical phrases are 'den Blick schärfen' (to sharpen one's view), 'die Sinne schärfen' (to sharpen the senses), or 'das Profil schärfen' (to sharpen one's profile).
EXAMPLE
Ein Auslandsjahr kann den Blick für die eigene Kultur schärfen.
A year abroad can sharpen your view of your own culture.
Register
This meaning of 'schärfen' (to sharpen/focus) belongs to the technical language of photography and image editing. It is used when talking about cameras, lenses, or software.
EXAMPLE
In der Nachbearbeitung kannst du das Bild noch etwas schärfen.
In post-processing, you can sharpen the image a little more.
Compare with
schärfen vs abziehen
to subtract / peel off
Both verbs can make a blade able to cut again. Schärfen refers to the process in general, while abziehen more specifically means running the blade over a whetstone or honing steel. Use schärfen for the general process or result and abziehen for this specific method.
schärfen
Der Koch schärft das Messer, damit es wieder gut schneidet.
The chef sharpened the knife so that it would cut well again.
abziehen
Nach dem Kochen zieht der Koch das Messer vorsichtig über den Wetzstahl ab.
After cooking, the chef carefully honed the knife on the honing steel.
In real life
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