German Conversation · Level 47
74 words
German word
taufen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈtaʊ̯fən/
Meaning
- verbbaptize
Example
Der Pfarrer tauft das Kind in der Kirche.
The priest baptizes the child in the church.
More examples
Wir haben beschlossen, unseren Sohn nächsten Monat taufen zu lassen.
We have decided to have our son baptized next month.
Core concept
Water marks a person's formal entry into a group and may accompany the public assignment of a name, with the pattern also applying to ceremonial object naming.
Common phrases
das Kind taufen
baptize the child
jemanden auf den Namen taufen
baptize someone with the name ___
taufen lassen
have ___ baptized
Similar words
baptisieren: Baptize someone with water in a Christian religious ceremony.
christen: Give a person or vessel an official name in a formal naming ceremony.
benennen: Give a person or thing a name.
weihen: Dedicate an object or place to a deity in a religious ceremony.
Definition in German
in einem religiösen Ritus mit Wasser aufnehmen und dadurch oft einen Namen geben
Word origin
The inherited Germanic verb taufen developed from Old High German toufan through Middle High German toufen and is related to the German adjective tief.
Usage tips
- The person receiving the rite is an accusative object, as in jemanden taufen, while a name can be added with auf den Namen: ein Kind auf den Namen Anna taufen.
Other meanings
- nameverb
Opposites
- enttaufenunbaptizeverb
- austretenleave the churchverb
Related words
- die Taufebaptismnoun
- getauftbaptizedadjective
- Taufpategodfathernoun