Meaning 1neutral; slightly literary in figurative uses · 82%
To pass from sleep into a state of being awake.
Natural examples
Das Baby erwacht bei jedem Geräusch.
The baby wakes at every sound.
Vor Sonnenaufgang erwachte sie im Zelt.
She woke in the tent before sunrise.
Nach dem langen Flug erwachte er erst mittags.
After the long flight, he woke at noon.
Usage note
In its literal sense, erwachen is intransitive and forms the perfect with sein: ist erwacht. Erwecken takes an object.
Mini-lesson: erwachen
To pass from sleep into a state of being awake. In its literal sense, erwachen is intransitive and forms the perfect with sein: ist erwacht. Erwecken takes an object.
Check your learning
Choose one answer.Which definition matches «erwachen»?