All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| passen | fit; suit | Sizes, compatibility and convenient times | Weak: passt, passte, hat gepasst; no separable prefix. Etwas passt jemandem uses a dative person. Zu etwas passen uses zu + dative for compatibility. |
| anpassen | adapt; adjust | Changing something to fit requirements | Separable an-: passt an, hat angepasst. Etwas an etwas anpassen uses an + accusative; a dative target is also possible. Sich an etwas anpassen uses an accusative reflexive pronoun. |
| verpassen | miss | Transport, events and opportunities | Inseparable ver-. Weak: verpasst, verpasste, hat verpasst. Einen Zug/eine Gelegenheit verpassen takes accusative; no auf is needed. |
| aufpassen | pay attention; look after | Attention, supervision and avoiding harm | Separable auf-: passt auf, hat aufgepasst. Often no direct object; auf jemanden/etwas aufpassen takes auf + accusative. |
passen
Meaning and usage: Passen describes a fit that already exists. Clothes can passen someone; colours or people can passen together; a time can passen someone’s plans. The word also means pass in games or admit you do not know an answer, but those are separate uses.
Grammar: Weak: passt, passte, hat gepasst; no separable prefix. Etwas passt jemandem uses a dative person. Zu etwas passen uses zu + dative for compatibility.
Die Jacke passt mir gut.
The jacket fits me well.
Passt dir Dienstag?
Does Tuesday work for you?
anpassen
Meaning and usage: Anpassen changes an item, plan or behaviour to suit something else. It can concern a website layout, clothing or new working conditions. The reflexive version says that a person or thing adapts.
Grammar: Separable an-: passt an, hat angepasst. Etwas an etwas anpassen uses an + accusative; a dative target is also possible. Sich an etwas anpassen uses an accusative reflexive pronoun.
Wir passen den Plan an das neue Budget an.
We adapt the plan to the new budget.
verpassen
Meaning and usage: Verpassen describes failing to reach, attend or take advantage of something. It can also mean fail to attain a target. A colloquial additional sense gives or administers something to someone, so the object and context still matter.
Grammar: Inseparable ver-. Weak: verpasst, verpasste, hat verpasst. Einen Zug/eine Gelegenheit verpassen takes accusative; no auf is needed.
Ich habe den letzten Bus verpasst.
I missed the last bus.
aufpassen
Meaning and usage: Aufpassen asks someone to be alert. With auf plus a person or thing, it may describe caring for children, watching food in the oven or keeping an eye on possessions. A clause can specify what you must ensure does not happen.
Grammar: Separable auf-: passt auf, hat aufgepasst. Often no direct object; auf jemanden/etwas aufpassen takes auf + accusative.
Kannst du kurz auf meine Tasche aufpassen?
Can you keep an eye on my bag for a moment?
Overlap and context
Passen describes suitability; anpassen describes producing or adjusting it. The other two verbs are separate vocabulary meanings, not degrees of fitting. Anpassen has more than one grammatical target pattern, so do not mark a dative version wrong simply because you learned an + accusative first.
Common mistakes
- Do not use aufpassen for missing a bus: den Bus verpassen.
- For fit me, use passt mir; for watch me, use passt auf mich auf.
Memory aid: Fit, adapt, miss, attend. Connect each verb to one concrete object: jacket, plan, bus and bag. That is safer than trying to decode every prefix.
Try it
Choose the missing form: Pass bitte auf den Verkehr ___!
Show the answer
auf
Aufpassen is separable; its prefix appears at the end of this imperative.