German word

wach

Pronunciation

IPA/vax/

Meaning

  • adjectiveawake

Example

Am Morgen bin ich meist wacher als am Abend.

In the morning, I am usually more awake than in the evening.

Illustration for wach (awake)

More examples

Er hat das Baby die ganze Nacht wach gehalten.

He kept the baby awake all night.

Core concept

A person with open eyes, awareness of the surroundings, and the ability to act.

Common phrases

  • jemanden wach halten

    keep ___ awake

  • wach bleiben

    stay awake

  • wach werden

    wake up

Similar words

munter: Alert and lively, with little or no sleepiness.
hellwach: Fully awake and clear-minded, with no trace of drowsiness.
wachsam: Carefully alert to changes or possible danger in the surroundings.
aufmerksam: Giving close attention to people or things being observed.

Definition in German

Nicht schlafend; bei Bewusstsein und handlungsfähig.

Word origin

German wach comes from Old High German wac and is related to English wake through a shared Germanic root.

Usage tips

  • Wach describes a state, while aufwachen describes the change into that state; German commonly uses wach sein for being awake.

Other meanings

  • alertadjective

Opposites

  • schlafendasleepadjective
  • müdetiredadjective

Related words

  • wachsamalertadjective
  • Wachsamkeitalertnessnoun

Word lists with this word