pass auf dich auf
/pas aʊ̯f dɪç aʊ̯f/word by word
To say "take care of yourself" in German, use pass auf dich auf.
The phrase pass auf dich auf is a friendly way to say goodbye while telling someone to stay safe and healthy. It is most commonly used when parting ways with friends or family members, often implying a sense of affection or concern.
Which one should you use?
While pass auf dich auf is a warm goodbye, the shorter Pass auf! is a warning used to tell someone to look out for immediate danger. Additionally, Mach's gut! translates to "do well" but is used as a casual way to say "take care" or "goodbye".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'take care of yourselves' to a group of people, use the plural imperative passt auf euch auf. The formal version of the phrase uses the pronoun Sie and the reflexive pronoun sich in the form passen Sie auf sich auf.
How do you pronounce it?
/pas aʊ̯f dɪç aʊ̯f/
Did you know?
- The word auf in this phrase shares a common ancestor with the English word 'up', both originating from the Proto-Germanic *upp.
- German has no single word for the English 'take care', instead using phrases like pass auf dich auf to emphasize the act of 'watching' or 'guarding' oneself.
- The reflexive nature of auf dich aufpassen suggests that the person is the object of their own guardianship, which is a distinct grammatical structure from the English 'take care'.
Examples in context
- Pass auf dich auf.Take care of yourself.This sentence shows the basic phrase pass auf dich auf.Tatoeba #531349 by Espi, translation #64257 by CK
- Bitte pass auf dich auf!Please take care of yourself.This sentence adds the word 'please' to the phrase pass auf dich auf.Tatoeba #724939 by Manfredo, translation #38550 by CK
- Das ist wirklich schade. Bitte, pass auf dich auf!That's too bad. Please take care of yourself.This sentence uses the phrase pass auf dich auf in a sympathetic context.Tatoeba #2201676 by Tamy, translation #42773 by Tamy
- Passen Sie gut auf sich auf! Auf Wiedersehen!Take care of yourself! Goodbye!
- Pass gut auf dich auf! Tschüss!Take care of yourself! Bye!
- Viel Glück und pass gut auf dich auf!Good luck and take care!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are saying goodbye at the train station.
- SarahEs war schön, dich zu sehen, Felix.It was nice to see you, Felix.
- FelixIch auch. Fahr gut nach Hause.Me too. Drive home safely.
- SarahDanke, pass auf dich auf!Thanks, take care of yourself!
- FelixDas werde ich machen. Tschüss, Sarah!I will. Bye, Sarah!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Pass, auf, dich) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries auf, dich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
