verb
aufwerten
upgrade
Definition & meaning
Aufwerten means to increase the value, quality, status, or attractiveness of something.
It is used in several contexts:
-
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.”
-
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.”
-
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:
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
Make “aufwerten” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Wir werden unser Haus aufwerten.verb
We are going to upgrade our house.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad