German word

aufspüren

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaʊ̯fˌʃpyːʁən/

Meaning

  • verbtrack down

Example

Die Polizei spürt den Täter auf.

The police are tracking down the culprit.

Illustration for aufspüren (track down)

More examples

Die Ermittler konnten dank des Spürhunds die Spur aufspüren.

The investigators were able to track down the clue thanks to the tracking dog.

Core concept

A trail of clues leads a searcher to a hidden person, object, or fact.

Common phrases

  • eine Spur aufspüren

    track down a clue

  • eine Quelle aufspüren

    track down a source

  • einen Täter aufspüren

    track down a culprit

Similar words

ausfindig machen: To locate someone or something after prolonged effort.
aufstöbern: To find someone or something by searching thoroughly.
finden: To find something sought or encountered by chance.
entdecken: To become aware of something previously unknown.

Definition in German

jemanden oder etwas durch Hinweise, Spuren oder Nachforschung gezielt finden

Word origin

Aufspüren combines the separable prefix auf- with spüren, meaning to sense or detect, and forms a verb for locating something through signs.

Usage tips

  • As a separable verb, aufspüren becomes spürt ... auf in the present and hat ... aufgespürt in the perfect.

Other meanings

  • discoververb
  • sniff outverb

Opposites

Related words

  • aufspürbardetectableadjective
  • Aufspürertrackernoun
  • Spürsinndetective instinctnoun

Word lists with this word