German word

auffinden

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaʊ̯fˌfɪndn̩/

Meaning

  • verbfind

Example

Ich habe meinen Schlüssel aufgefunden.

I found my key.

Illustration for auffinden (find)

More examples

Die Polizei konnte keine neuen Hinweise auffinden.

The police could not find any new clues.

Core concept

Clues lead to the exact place where something missing is finally located.

Common phrases

  • etwas auffinden

    find something

  • einen Fehler auffinden

    find an error

  • Hinweise auffinden

    find clues

Similar words

finden: Discover something by looking for it.
herausfinden: Discover information or an answer through investigation.
lokalisieren: Determine the location of something precisely.
aufspüren: Track clues or traces to locate a person or place.

Definition in German

nach einer Suche etwas finden; das Ergebnis einer gezielten Suche mitteilen

Word origin

Auffinden is a compound of auf- and finden; finden is an inherited Germanic verb related to English find, while auf- contributes an arrival or emergence nuance.

Usage tips

  • Auffinden is more formal than the everyday verb finden and is common in official, academic, and written descriptions of discoveries.

Other meanings

  • discoververb
  • locateverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Auffindungfindingnoun
  • auffindbarfindableadjective
  • Auffinderfindernoun

Word lists with this word