verb

aufwerten

upgrade

Definition & meaning

Aufwerten means to increase the value, quality, status, or attractiveness of something.

It is used in several contexts:

  1. To enhance or improve something

    • A renovation can make a building, room, or neighborhood more attractive or valuable.
    • Example: Neue Möbel werten das Zimmer auf.
      “New furniture enhances the room.”
  2. To upgrade someone’s status or importance

    • A promotion, award, or prestigious role can raise a person’s standing.
    • Example: Der Preis wertet seine Arbeit auf.
      “The award enhances the status of his work.”
  3. In economics: to revalue a currency

    • A currency is said to be revalued when its official value is increased compared with other currencies.
    • Example: Die Regierung wertete die Währung auf.
      “The government revalued the currency.”

The word often implies that something already exists but is being made more valuable, prestigious, effective, or appealing.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Word class: separable verb
  • Infinitive: aufwerten
  • Present tense: ich werte auf
  • Past participle: aufgewertet
  • Auxiliary verb: haben
  • Example: Sie hat die Wohnung aufgewertet.
    “She enhanced the apartment.”

The verb consists of:

  • auf — “up,” “higher”
  • werten — “to assess or value”

It is related to der Wert , meaning “value,” and wert , meaning “valuable” or “worthwhile.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • verbessern — “to improve”; broader and more neutral than aufwerten, which often emphasizes increased value or prestige.
  • veredeln — “to refine” or “ennoble”; often used for materials, products, or processes.
  • aufpolieren — “to polish up”; more informal and often focused on appearance or presentation.
  • emporheben — “to elevate”; can refer to social status or importance and sounds more formal or literary.
  • steigern — “to increase”; emphasizes a rise in value, quality, or effectiveness but does not necessarily imply enhancement of prestige.

Antonyms

  • abwerten — “to devalue” or “downgrade”; the direct opposite, especially for currencies, opinions, or status.
  • entwerten — “to make worthless” or “invalidate”; stronger than abwerten and often used for tickets, documents, money, or abstract values.
  • verschlechtern — “to worsen”; focuses on declining quality rather than reduced prestige or monetary value.
  • herabsetzen — “to lower” or “demean”; can refer to prices, rank, or someone’s reputation.

Common phrases & collocations

  • eine Immobilie aufwerten — to increase the value of a property
  • ein Viertel aufwerten — to improve or revitalize a neighborhood
  • einen Raum aufwerten — to enhance a room
  • ein Produkt aufwerten — to give a product greater value or appeal
  • das Ansehen aufwerten — to enhance one’s reputation or prestige
  • eine Währung aufwerten — to revalue a currency

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Examples

Wir werden unser Haus aufwerten.verb

We are going to upgrade our house.

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