Frame description

A Sleeper enters a state of unconsciousness, remains in this state for some amount of time, and then returns to full wakeful consciousness. This process includes the following steps: falling asleep, sleeping, waking up and getting up.

Examples:

1. Wann bist du eingeschlafen?1. When did you fall asleep?
2. Vanessa erzählte von ihrem sonderbaren Traum.2. Vanessa talked about her strange dream
3. Studenten sind immer müde, weil sie nicht genug schlafen.3. Students are always tired, because they don't sleep enough.

 

Learning Materials for the Sleep Frame

Display columns:
Details
Examples
Grammar Notes
Sentence Templates
Alternate Forms

Frame Elements

Frame Element descriptions (on hover):

Sleeper

The sleeping entity.

Details
Examples
Grammar Notes
Sentence Templates
Alternate Forms
See All Information
Alptraum, der noun nightmare

Details:

nightmare

"Der Alptraum" or "der Albtraum" refers like its English equivalent to a frightening or unpleasant dream. It is used like its English counterpart.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"alptraumhaft / alptraumhaft" ("nightmarish")

Synonyms:

"der Angsttraum," "böser Traum," "schlechter Traum," "der Alpdruck," "schlimmste Träume"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Alptraum“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Alptraum>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Example Sentences:

  1. Haben Sie oft Alpträume?
  2. Als Kind hatte Marcel immer den gleichen Alptraum.
  3. Sandra wachte mit großer Angst auf, aber bald vergaß sie den Albtraum.
  4. Ein voller Magen, heißt es, verursache Alpträume.
  1. Do you often have nightmares?
  2. As a child, Marcel always had the same nightmare.
  3. Sandra woke up with great fear, but soon she forgot the nightmare.
  4. A full stomach, it is said would cause nightmares.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. SLEEPER hat einen Albtraum.
  1. SLEEPER has a nightmare.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Details:

nightmare

"Der Alptraum" or "der Albtraum" refers like its English equivalent to a frightening or unpleasant dream. It is used like its English counterpart.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"alptraumhaft / alptraumhaft" ("nightmarish")

Synonyms:

"der Angsttraum," "böser Traum," "schlechter Traum," "der Alpdruck," "schlimmste Träume"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Alptraum“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Alptraum>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Alternate Forms:

(pl.) die Alpträume; also (m.) der Albtraum, (pl.) die Albträume
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL
aufstehen verb to get up

Details:

to get up

"Aufstehen," in the context of the Sleep frame, means "to get out of bed," although in other contexts it simply means "to stand up." There is a vague implication that a person does not reach full consciousness until after getting up, even though "waking up" ("aufwachen") certainly comes first in this scenario.

Sie ist gerade aufgestanden. / She just got up.


Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Frühaufsteher" ("early riser," "early bird"), "der Spätaufsteher" ("late riser")

Synonyms:

"das Bett verlassen," "den Tag beginnen," "aus dem Bett springen," "aus den Federn kriechen / müssen," "rausmüssen, herausmüssen"

Idiom:

- "mit dem falschen Bein / Fuß aufstehen" (lit. "to get up with the wrong leg / foot") means that a person starts the day in a bad mood, has a bad day for no apparent reason, in English "to get up on the wrong side of the bed," e.g. "Als ich mit schlechter Laune am Frühstückstisch saß, sagte meine Mutter, dass ich wohl am Morgen mit dem falschen Fuß zuerst aufgestanden sei." ("When I sat in bad mood on the breakfast table, my mother said that I probably got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.")

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„aufstehen“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/aufstehen>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Example Sentences:

  1. Marion  steht gern früh auf.
  2. Es tut mir leid; ich bin spät aufgestanden, weil mein Wecker nicht geklingelt hat.
  3. Harald wachte um 8.00 Uhr auf, aber wollte noch nicht aufstehen.
  4. Ich muss immer um vier Uhr aufstehen.
  5. Soll ich aufstehen?
  1. Marion likes to get up early.
  2. I'm sorry; I got up late because my alarm didn't go off.
  3. Harald woke up at 8:00 but didn't want to get up yet.
  4. I always have to get up at 4 am.
  5. Should I get up?
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Grammar:

Verbs with Separable Prefixes

Some verbs have a prefix that moves around in the sentence, depending on what form the verb takes. You can expect the prefix to appear at the end of the sentence or clause, but whether the verb appears there with it depends on the rest of the sentence (tense, presence of a modal verb, etc.). In the infinitive form, the prefix is attached, like "ausgehen" ("to go out"). If the verb is conjugated (in present or simple past tense), the prefix appears at the end of the clause, as in "Ich gehe heute Abend aus" ("I am going out tonight"). The chart below shows several structural variants for these kinds of verbs. For more information, see the examples for individual verbs in the G-FOL or read these explanations from Grimm Grammar: present tense, conversational past tense (Perfekt).

Die erste Stelle (first position)V2 (verb 2nd)Rest (the rest of the info)am Ende (at the end)
Am Samstagabendgeheich mit Freundenaus.
Ichgingam Samstagabend mit Freunden aus.
Mit Freundenbinich am Samstagabendausgegangen.
Wanngeheich mit Freundenaus?
Ichkannnicht am Samstagabend mit Freunden ausgehen.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. SLEEPER steht auf.
  1. SLEEPER gets up.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Details:

to get up

"Aufstehen," in the context of the Sleep frame, means "to get out of bed," although in other contexts it simply means "to stand up." There is a vague implication that a person does not reach full consciousness until after getting up, even though "waking up" ("aufwachen") certainly comes first in this scenario.

Sie ist gerade aufgestanden. / She just got up.


Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Frühaufsteher" ("early riser," "early bird"), "der Spätaufsteher" ("late riser")

Synonyms:

"das Bett verlassen," "den Tag beginnen," "aus dem Bett springen," "aus den Federn kriechen / müssen," "rausmüssen, herausmüssen"

Idiom:

- "mit dem falschen Bein / Fuß aufstehen" (lit. "to get up with the wrong leg / foot") means that a person starts the day in a bad mood, has a bad day for no apparent reason, in English "to get up on the wrong side of the bed," e.g. "Als ich mit schlechter Laune am Frühstückstisch saß, sagte meine Mutter, dass ich wohl am Morgen mit dem falschen Fuß zuerst aufgestanden sei." ("When I sat in bad mood on the breakfast table, my mother said that I probably got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.")

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„aufstehen“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/aufstehen>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Alternate Forms:

(er) steht auf, stand auf, ist aufgestanden
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL
aufwachen verb to wake up

Details:

to wake up

"Aufwachen" is used with the Sleeper as the subject to describe the (intransitive) scenario of someone waking up (on their own). This verb involves one of the major differences between German and English in the Sleep frame: English "wake up" can be used instransitively (with just a subject, as in "I wake up") or transitively to show causation (with subject and direct object, as in "I wake him up"), but in German, there are two different verbs for these usages. See the entry for "wecken" to find out how to talk about causing someone to wake up.

Sie ist schon aufgewacht. / She already woke up.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Synonyms:

"wach werden," "erwachen," "aufhören zu schlafen"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„aufwachen“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/aufwachen>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Example Sentences:

  1. Janin wacht jeden Morgen um 7.30 Uhr auf.
  2. Wann wachst du normalerweise auf?
  3. Heute ist Kevin um 11.00 Uhr aufgewacht.
  4. Von dem Lärm bin ich aufgewacht.
  1. Janin wakes up every morning at 7:30.
  2. When do you normally wake up?
  3. Today Kevin woke up at 11:00.
  4. From the noise I woke up.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Grammar:

Verbs with Separable Prefixes

Some verbs have a prefix that moves around in the sentence, depending on what form the verb takes. You can expect the prefix to appear at the end of the sentence or clause, but whether the verb appears there with it depends on the rest of the sentence (tense, presence of a modal verb, etc.). In the infinitive form, the prefix is attached, like "ausgehen" ("to go out"). If the verb is conjugated (in present or simple past tense), the prefix appears at the end of the clause, as in "Ich gehe heute Abend aus" ("I am going out tonight"). The chart below shows several structural variants for these kinds of verbs. For more information, see the examples for individual verbs in the G-FOL or read these explanations from Grimm Grammar: present tense, conversational past tense (Perfekt).

Die erste Stelle (first position)V2 (verb 2nd)Rest (the rest of the info)am Ende (at the end)
Am Samstagabendgeheich mit Freundenaus.
Ichgingam Samstagabend mit Freunden aus.
Mit Freundenbinich am Samstagabendausgegangen.
Wanngeheich mit Freundenaus?
Ichkannnicht am Samstagabend mit Freunden ausgehen.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. SLEEPER wacht auf.
  1. SLEEPER wakes up.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Details:

to wake up

"Aufwachen" is used with the Sleeper as the subject to describe the (intransitive) scenario of someone waking up (on their own). This verb involves one of the major differences between German and English in the Sleep frame: English "wake up" can be used instransitively (with just a subject, as in "I wake up") or transitively to show causation (with subject and direct object, as in "I wake him up"), but in German, there are two different verbs for these usages. See the entry for "wecken" to find out how to talk about causing someone to wake up.

Sie ist schon aufgewacht. / She already woke up.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Synonyms:

"wach werden," "erwachen," "aufhören zu schlafen"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„aufwachen“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/aufwachen>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Alternate Forms:

(er) wacht auf, wachte auf, ist aufgewacht
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL
ausschlafen verb to sleep in, to sleep off

Details:

to sleep in

This separable prefix verb means "to sleep in" (e.g. "Ich schlafe am Samstag aus," "I sleep in on Saturday"). It can be used reflexively ("sich ausschlafen", with the accusative reflexive pronoun) to mean "having a good night's rest" by (probably) sleeping in (e.g. "Ich schlafe mich am Samstag aus," "I have a good night's rest on Saturday," "I sleep in on Saturday").

"Ausschlafen" can also be used with a direct object. When used like this it means to overcome something while sleeping, to sleep something off (e.g. "Ich habe meinen Jetlag ausgeschlafen," "I slept off my jetlag").

Heute schläft sie aus./ Today, she sleeps in.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"ausgeschlafen" ("well-rested"), "unausgeschlafen" ("tired," "not well-rested")

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„ausschlafen“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/ausschlafen>, abgerufen am 15.02.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Example Sentences:

  1. Als Student schlief sich Lukas an den Wochenenden aus.
  2. Heute Morgen habe ich mich gut ausgeschlafen.
  3. Meine Arbeit war sehr anstrengend diese Woche, darum muss ich mich bald ausschlafen!
  4. Gestern hat Elias zu viel gefeiert, und jetzt schläft er seinen Kater aus.
  5. Ich habe endlich mal ausgeschlafen. Das hat gut getan.
  1. As a student, Lukas slept in on the weekends.
  2. This morning, I slept in well.
  3. My work was very strenuous this week, so I must soon sleep in!
  4. Yesterday, Elias celebrated too much, and now he is sleeping off his hangover.
  5. I have eventually slept in for once. That was good for me.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Grammar:

Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns

Verbs that are used reflexively often carry a reciprocal meaning or the meaning that the subject is performing the action of the verb on themself, although some abstract verbs are used reflexively without such meanings. In any case, the reflexive pronouns and word order are the same. As a general rule, the reflexive pronoun should appear just after the subject, although the V2 rule trumps this one, so in a basic sentence, you will find: subject, verb, reflexive (e.g. "Er verliebt sich in Melanie," "He is falling in love with Melanie"). For further examples, consult the Examples sections of reflexive verbs. Click here for further explanation.

NominativAkkusativDativ
ichmichmir
dudichdir
er/sie/essichsich
wirunsuns
ihreucheuch
sie/Siesichsich

Verbs with Separable Prefixes

Some verbs have a prefix that moves around in the sentence, depending on what form the verb takes. You can expect the prefix to appear at the end of the sentence or clause, but whether the verb appears there with it depends on the rest of the sentence (tense, presence of a modal verb, etc.). In the infinitive form, the prefix is attached, like "ausgehen" ("to go out"). If the verb is conjugated (in present or simple past tense), the prefix appears at the end of the clause, as in "Ich gehe heute Abend aus" ("I am going out tonight"). The chart below shows several structural variants for these kinds of verbs. For more information, see the examples for individual verbs in the G-FOL or read these explanations from Grimm Grammar: present tense, conversational past tense (Perfekt).

Die erste Stelle (first position)V2 (verb 2nd)Rest (the rest of the info)am Ende (at the end)
Am Samstagabendgeheich mit Freundenaus.
Ichgingam Samstagabend mit Freunden aus.
Mit Freundenbinich am Samstagabendausgegangen.
Wanngeheich mit Freundenaus?
Ichkannnicht am Samstagabend mit Freunden ausgehen.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. SLEEPER schläft sich aus.
  2. SLEEPER schläft etwas (Rausch, Fieber, usw.) aus.
  1. SLEEPER sleeps in.
  2. SLEEPER sleeps something (intoxication, fever, etc.) off.
TOP OF PAGE | COLLAPSE ALL

Details:

to sleep in

This separable prefix verb means "to sleep in" (e.g. "Ich schlafe am Samstag aus," "I sleep in on Saturday"). It can be used reflexively ("sich ausschlafen", with the accusative reflexive pronoun) to mean "having a good night's rest" by (probably) sleeping in (e.g. "Ich schlafe mich am Samstag aus," "I have a good night's rest on Saturday," "I sleep in on Saturday").

"Ausschlafen" can also be used with a direct object. When used like this it means to overcome something while sleeping, to sleep something off (e.g. "Ich habe meinen Jetlag ausgeschlafen," "I slept off my jetlag").

Heute schläft sie aus./ Today, she sleeps in.