German · Greetings & Essentials
"Be careful!" in German: pass auf! / Vorsicht!
pass auf! / Vorsicht!
Be careful in German is pass auf! or Vorsicht! Either counts. Soften with bitte: Pass bitte auf!. Plural: Passt auf!
Icy step
Pass auf! Die Stufe ist glatt.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce pass auf! / Vorsicht!
Say it
pass owf / FOR-zikht
/pas aʊ̯f/ /ˈfoːɐ̯zɪçt/
pass owf / FOR-zikht. Auf like owf; Vorsicht with soft ch.
"Be careful!" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| pass auf! | be careful! / watch out! Informal warning. | Informal warning. |
| Vorsicht! | caution! / careful! Sign and shout. | Sign and shout. |
| Pass bitte auf! | please be careful! Softer. | Softer. |
| Achtung! | attention! Related alert. | Related alert. |
How to use pass auf! / Vorsicht! in real life
- 1Icy step
Pass auf! Die Stufe ist glatt.
Be careful! The step is slippery.
pass auf.
- 2Kitchen knife
Vorsicht! Das Messer ist scharf.
Careful! The knife is sharp.
Vorsicht.
- 3Bike lane
Pass auf — Radfahrer von links!
Watch out — cyclist from the left!
Street.
Mistakes English speakers make with pass auf! / Vorsicht!
Incorrect: pass auf dich! (calqued)
Correct: pass auf! / Sei vorsichtig!
Pass auf! alone warns; sei vorsichtig for be careful about yourself.
Incorrect: Vorsichtige!
Correct: Vorsicht!
The interjection is Vorsicht, not an adjective form.
Good to know
Vorsicht! appears on yellow signs; pass auf! is spoken among friends. Both stop motion faster than a long sentence.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Crossing a wet street
ChatPal
Die Ampel ist orange.
The light is amber.
You
Pass auf!
Be careful!
ChatPal
Ich warte.
I'll wait.
You
Gut — und Vorsicht am Bordstein, er ist nass.
Good — and careful at the curb, it's wet.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Be careful!" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Be careful!" in German
How do you say be careful?
Pass auf! or Vorsicht!
Which is more formal?
Vorsicht! fits signs and strangers; pass auf! is du.
Plural friends?
Passt auf!
Softer?
Pass bitte auf!
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
