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verb

abspulen

play itself

Definition & meaning

abspulen is a separable German verb with several related meanings:

  1. To unwind or reel off something from a spool
    It describes removing thread, cable, tape, or film from a reel or spool.

    • Das Kabel abspulen — to unwind the cable

  2. To play or run recorded material
    It can mean playing a tape, film, or recording, especially from a reel or cassette.

    • einen Film abspulen — to play a film

  3. To recite or carry out something mechanically
    In a figurative sense, it means to repeat information, a speech, or a routine in a detached, automatic way.

    • seinen Vortrag abspulen — to deliver one’s speech mechanically
    • die übliche Routine abspulen — to go through the usual routine

  4. sich abspulen: to unfold or play out
    This less common, often figurative use describes events or a story unfolding.

    • Die Ereignisse spulen sich langsam ab. — The events gradually unfold.

The word often suggests a mechanical, repetitive, or automatic process.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Infinitive: abspulen
  • Verb type: separable verb — trennbares Verb
  • Present tense: ich spule ab
  • Simple past: ich spulte ab
  • Perfect tense: ich habe abgespult
  • Past participle: abgespult

The verb consists of:

  • ab- — away, off, or downward
  • spulen — to wind or reel

It is derived from die Spule , meaning “spool” or “coil.” The original literal sense was to unwind something from a spool; the figurative meanings developed from the idea of something running automatically from beginning to end.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • abwickeln — to unwind or process something; more neutral and often used for procedures or tasks
  • wiedergeben — to play back or reproduce a recording; more neutral than abspulen
  • herunterleiern — to recite something mechanically and without expression; more colloquial and usually more critical
  • durchführen — to carry out a procedure; more formal and neutral, without the mechanical nuance of abspulen
  • sich entfalten — to unfold or develop; more elegant and less mechanical than sich abspulen

Antonyms

  • aufspulen — to wind something onto a spool; the direct physical opposite of abspulen
  • unterbrechen — to interrupt a process or recording
  • improvisieren — to act spontaneously rather than following a fixed routine
  • beenden — to bring something to an end, rather than letting it continue or run through

Common phrases & collocations

  • ein Kabel abspulen — to unwind a cable
  • einen Film abspulen — to play a film
  • ein Tonband abspulen [?](vocabuo://word ein%20Tonband%20abspulen) — to play a reel-to-reel tape
  • einen Text abspulen — to recite a text mechanically
  • seinen Vortrag abspulen — to deliver one’s presentation in a routine, uninspired way
  • die gleiche Routine abspulen — to repeat the same routine
  • sich langsam abspulen — to gradually unfold or play out

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Examples

Der Film spult sich plötzlich wieder ab.verb

The film suddenly plays itself again.

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