what ... on / whereupon
Loading your saved state.
what ... on
Used as a question word (interrogative adverb) to ask about the target of an action or the object of an interest. It means 'auf was?' (what ... on?).
Worauf wartest du noch? Wir müssen los!
What are you still waiting for? We have to go!
'Worauf' is a pronominal adverb made up of 'wo-' and the preposition 'auf'. It replaces the combination 'auf was?' (what ... on?) in questions or 'auf das/welches' (on that/which) in subordinate clauses and makes sentences more elegant.
Worauf freust du dich am meisten?
What are you looking forward to the most?
As a question word, 'worauf' comes at the beginning of the sentence, and the verb follows directly after it. As a relative adverb, it introduces a subordinate clause in which the conjugated verb comes at the end.
Worauf konzentrierst du dich gerade?
What are you concentrating on right now?
'Worauf' is always used with verbs or expressions that require the fixed preposition 'auf'. These include, for example, 'warten auf' (to wait for), 'sich freuen auf' (to look forward to), 'antworten auf' (to respond to), or 'achten auf' (to pay attention to).
Ich weiß nicht, worauf er wartet.
I don't know what he is waiting for.
In the temporal meaning 'danach' (after that), 'worauf' does not refer to a single noun, but to the action of the entire preceding sentence. It describes a direct consequence.
Der Redner beendete seinen Vortrag, worauf ein lauter Applaus folgte.
The speaker finished his lecture, whereupon loud applause followed.
afterward / after that
'danach' and 'worauf' can both express that something happens after another event. 'danach' is a normal adverb and can stand on its own in a main clause: first something happens, then something else happens afterward. 'worauf', by contrast, usually connects a subordinate clause to the previous sentence and sounds a bit more formal. It then means something like: after this event or as a result of it. Learners may confuse the words because both show a sequence. A practical rule is: for a simple chronological sequence, 'danach' usually fits. When a subordinate clause directly follows on from the previous event, 'worauf' fits.
Der Bus kam nicht, worauf viele Leute ein Taxi nahmen.
The bus did not come, whereupon many people took a taxi.
Wir haben erst zusammen gegessen, danach sind wir nach Hause gegangen.
We ate together first; afterward, we went home.