Aufhören
Example: Ich habe beschlossen, mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören.
Definition
"Aufhören" means to stop doing something or to cease an action. It refers to the act of bringing an activity or behavior to an end, as in the example phrase: 'Ich habe beschlossen, mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören,' meaning 'I have decided to stop smoking.'
Etymology
The German verb "aufhören" combines "auf," meaning 'up' or 'upon,' with "hören," meaning 'to hear' or 'to listen.' Originally, it may have conveyed the idea of 'paying attention to the end' or 'ceasing,' evolving to mean 'stop' or 'quit.' Did you know? The sense of stopping something by 'listening up' is a figurative extension that developed over time.
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"Aufhören" appears in the Vocaplus list "German - General - (B1) - set 1", containing 119 commonly used words.
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