01
wecken
to wake
To bring someone out of sleep; to cause someone to wake up.
example
Kannst du mich morgen früh um sechs Uhr wecken?
Can you wake me tomorrow morning at six o'clock?
wecken
to wake
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Word family
'Wecken' (to wake) is the causative verb related to 'wachen' (to be awake/keep watch) or 'aufwachen' (to wake up). It means to make someone or something awake.
EXAMPLE
Der Lärm von der Baustelle wird ihn sicher gleich wecken.
The noise from the construction site will surely wake him any moment now.
Accusative object
The verb 'wecken' (to wake) always requires an accusative object. This object is the person who is supposed to wake up, or the feeling that is being triggered.
EXAMPLE
Der laute Wecker hat mich heute Morgen geweckt.
The loud alarm clock woke me this morning.
Context clue
When 'wecken' (to wake) is used with a person, it means 'aufwecken' (to wake someone up). When it is used with an abstract noun like 'Interesse' (interest) or 'Erinnerung' (memory), it means 'hervorrufen' (to evoke/trigger).
EXAMPLE
Bitte wecke den Vater nicht, er ist sehr müde.
Please don't wake the father; he is very tired.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning, 'wecken' (to arouse/evoke) is very often combined with abstract nouns: 'Interesse wecken' (to arouse interest), 'Neugier wecken' (to arouse curiosity), 'Erinnerungen wecken' (to evoke memories), 'Gefühle wecken' (to arouse feelings), or 'Hoffnung wecken' (to inspire hope).
EXAMPLE
Ein guter Lehrer kann die Neugier seiner Schüler wecken.
A good teacher can arouse their students' curiosity.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'keine schlafenden Hunde wecken' (to let sleeping dogs lie) is a fixed unit. It is used to express that it is better not to bring up an old, sensitive topic.
EXAMPLE
Ich wollte die Chefin nicht nach dem Fehler fragen, um keine schlafenden Hunde zu wecken.
I didn't want to ask the boss about the mistake, so as not to wake sleeping dogs.
Compare with
wecken vs erzeugen
to generate
'erzeugen' and 'wecken' can both mean that something arises in someone, for example a feeling, an impression, or interest. 'erzeugen' sounds more factual and describes an effect in general: something causes a certain reaction to arise. 'wecken' fits especially well with feelings, memories, or interest that are already possible and are activated by something. For example, you say that a picture 'weckt Erinnerungen' (evokes memories) or a topic 'weckt Interesse' (arouses interest). 'erzeugen' is broader and more neutral, while 'wecken' sounds more personal and internal.
wecken
Der alte Brief weckt bei meiner Mutter viele Erinnerungen.
The old letter brings back many memories for my mother.
erzeugen
Die laute Musik erzeugt bei vielen Gästen sofort gute Stimmung.
The loud music immediately creates a good mood among many guests.
In real life
Loading video examples...