pass auf!
/pas aʊ̯f/word by word
The English phrase 'watch out' can be translated into German using several forms, most commonly pass auf! Wiktionary also lists Achtung and Vorsicht.
Meaning: proceed with caution (intj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| pass auf! | /pas aʊ̯f/ (word by word) |
| Achtung | /ˈaxtʊŋ/ |
| Vorsicht | /ˈfoːʁˌzɪçt/ |
| passt auf! |
These expressions are used to tell someone to proceed with caution. You can also use the related verbs aufpassen or achtgeben to mean the act of using caution.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb aufpassen is a separable verb, where the prefix auf- moves to the end of a clause in many sentence structures.
Which one should you use?
Achtung is often used as a sudden, sharp warning or a formal announcement, whereas pass auf! is more conversational. The forms pass auf! and passt auf! both translate to 'watch out', but are used depending on how many people you are addressing.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Use pass auf! when addressing a single person informally, and use passt auf! when addressing more than one person informally.
How do you pronounce it?
/pas aʊ̯f/
Did you know?
- The word Achtung is not just a warning, it originally meant 'consideration' or 'appreciation' in Middle High German. It is much closer to the concept of 'respect' than it is to the concept of 'danger'.
- The phrase pass auf! can be used not just for danger, but to tell someone to listen carefully to a specific point.
- While Achtung is a warning, the related verb achten can also mean 'to respect' someone.
Examples in context
- Paß auf! Eine Ente!Watch out! A duck!This is useful for showing how to use pass auf! to warn about an animal.Tatoeba #13272717 by Waldelfe, translation #6800627 by Ergulis
- Pass auf! Da kommt ein Auto!Watch out! A car is coming!This shows how to use pass auf! to warn about an approaching vehicle.Tatoeba #4916789 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4922064 by gustonrankin
- Pass auf! Da ist ein Blitzer.Watch out! There's a speed camera.This demonstrates using pass auf! to warn about a speed camera.Tatoeba #1014115 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1014114 by sundown
- Achten Sie bitte darauf, auf der letzten Stufe vorsichtig zu sein!Please pay attention and be careful on the last step!
- Pass auf!Watch out!
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are walking through a messy construction site.
- LukasPass auf! Da liegt ein Kabel.Watch out! There is a cable lying there.
- JuliaOh, danke Lukas. Das habe ich nicht gesehen.Oh, thanks Lukas. I didn't see that.
- LukasPass auf, der Boden ist sehr rutschig!Watch out, the ground is very slippery!
- JuliaIch werde vorsichtig sein, danke.I will be careful, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “watch out” translations and entries Achtung, Vorsicht, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Pass, auf) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Achtung, Vorsicht, auf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
