German Conversation · Level 1
85 words
German word
ab
Pronunciation
IPA/ap/
Meaning
- prepositionfrom
Example
Ab heute rauche ich nicht mehr.
From today onward, I won't smoke anymore.
More examples
Ab Montag ist wieder Schule.
From Monday, school starts again.
ab 10 Uhr beginnt der Kurs.
The course starts at 10 o'clock.
Core concept
A marked starting point, with the path or time after it included.
Common phrases
ab heute
starting today
ab sofort
from now on
ab 10 Uhr
starting at 10 o'clock
Similar words
von: Indicating the starting point, source, or origin of something.
seit: Indicating that a state began in the past and continues to the present.
aus: Indicating movement out of an interior space or group, or identifying a source.
bis: Indicating the point or time at which something ends or reaches its limit.
Definition in German
Ab drückt den Beginn eines Zeitpunkts oder eines Ortes aus und bedeutet von diesem Zeitpunkt oder Ort an.
Word origin
German ab continues a Germanic form found in Old High German ab and af, originally expressing separation or movement away and later marking a starting point.
Usage tips
- As a preposition, ab normally takes the dative: ab dem 1. Januar, while bare expressions such as ab heute and ab Montag are also common.