hinaufgehen
go up
Definition & meaning
Hinaufgehen means to go up, to walk uphill or upstairs, or more generally to move upward. It describes upward movement toward a higher place, usually away from the speaker or from a reference point.
Depending on context, it can also mean to rise—for example, when describing a level or value.
Grammar & Word origin
Hinaufgehen is an intransitive, separable verb: in a main clause, hinauf separates from gehen.
- Present: Ich gehe hinauf. — “I’m going up.”
- Perfect: Ich bin hinaufgegangen. — “I went up / have gone up.”
The verb combines hinauf , indicating upward movement away from a reference point, with gehen , meaning “to go” or “to walk.” It is formed from the directional elements hin and auf .
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- hochgehen — “to go up”; often a more everyday alternative, and can also mean “to blow up” or “to lose one’s temper” in other contexts.
- hinaufsteigen — “to climb up”; emphasizes climbing or making an effort to ascend.
- emporsteigen — “to ascend”; more formal or literary in tone.
Antonyms
- hinuntergehen — “to go down,” typically moving downward and away from the speaker or reference point.
- heruntergehen — “to come/go down,” often suggesting movement downward toward the speaker or a relevant location.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Ich gehe die Treppe hinauf.verb
I go up the stairs.
Langsam gingen wir den steilen Hügel hinauf.verb
Slowly, we went up the steep hill.
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