German word

auffordern

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaʊ̯fˌfɔʁdɐn/

Meaning

  • verbask

Example

Die Bank fordert den Kunden auf, die fehlenden Unterlagen vorzulegen.

The bank asks the customer to submit the missing documents.

Illustration for auffordern (ask)

More examples

Die Polizei fordert die Passanten auf, Abstand zu halten.

The police asked passersby to keep their distance.

Core concept

A person is formally directed toward a specific action, with more force than a casual request.

Common phrases

  • jemanden auffordern, etwas zu tun

    ask someone to do something

  • jemanden auffordern, den Ausweis zu zeigen

    ask someone to show their ID

  • die Gäste auffordern, Platz zu nehmen

    ask the guests to take a seat

Similar words

bitten: Request that someone do something as a polite favor.
drängen: Urge someone persistently to act sooner.
anfordern: Officially seek required documents or information.
verlangen: Firmly require a submission or response, especially in legal contexts.

Definition in German

auffordern heißt, jemanden offiziell darum zu bitten, eine bestimmte Handlung vorzunehmen.

Word origin

Auffordern combines the separable prefix auf- with fordern, an inherited Germanic verb for demanding or requesting, and directs that demand toward an action.

Usage tips

  • Auffordern takes the person addressed as an accusative object and commonly introduces the requested action with zu, as in jemanden auffordern, etwas zu tun.

Other meanings

  • demandverb
  • urgeverb
  • call onverb

Related words

Word lists with this word