auch

See also: Auch

German

Etymology

From Middle High German ouch, from Old High German ouh, from Proto-Germanic *auk. Cognate with Dutch ook (“also”), West Frisian ek (“also, too”), Luxembourgish och (“also”), Swedish och (“and”), Icelandic og (“and”), Danish og (“and”), and archaic English eke (“also”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aʊ̯x/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /aʊ̯/ (chiefly southern Germany and Austria; also in the northern half in some positions, e.g. before nicht)

• Audio:

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• Audio:

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Adverb

auch

1. also; too; as well (in addition to whatever or whoever has previously been listed)

   Synonyms: ebenfalls, ebenso

   Ich will auch ein Eis. ― Stress on “auch”: I too want icecream.

   Ich will auch ein Eis. ― Stress on “Eis”: I want icecream, too.

2. Used for emphasis.
   1. To confirm a preceding statement by someone else: really, actually, indeed, in fact

      Ich will auch ein Eis. ― Stress on “will”: I do indeed want icecream.

      Das ist auch so. ― Stress on “ist”: It really is like that.

      Du solltest zur Polizei gehen. ― Mach ich auch.

      You should go to the police. ― I will.

   2. To ask for confirmation of something one considers necessary.

      Hast du das Licht auch ausgemacht?

      Did you make sure to turn off the light?

   3. To imply that something is unreasonable.

      Du bist auch witzig... Wie soll ich das denn ohne Auto alles schaffen?!

      You’re oh so ingenious... How am I supposed to get all of this done without the car?!

      Warum müssen die auch alle ihren Müll hier abladen!

      Why do they all have to dump their rubbish here!

3. even (implying an extreme example in the case mentioned, as compared to the implied reality)

   Synonyms: sogar, selbst

   Auch wenn das stimmt, ist es noch kein endgültiger Beweis.

   Even if this is true, it is no definite proof.

   Auch ein Professor schreibt schon mal was falsch.

   Even a professor may misspell something at times.

4. ever as in whatever, whenever, however, etc.

   Was du auch tust, es wird immer einer besser sein.

   Whatever you do, someone will always do it better.

Interjection

auch

1. in answering a yes-no question, used to express that the thing asked about covers part of the truth but not all of it; “yes, and more”

   Ach, du bist Bauingenieur. Dann baust du Brücken? — Auch.

   Oh, you’re a construction engineer. So you build bridges? — Yeah. And other things, too.

Further reading

• “auch” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Spanish

Interjection

¡auch!

1. (Mexico) expression of pain