Aufsuchen

Aufsuchen is a German verb formed from auf- and suchen. It has several related meanings: to seek out or search for something, and to visit or attend to someone or a place. The prefix auf- signals movement toward something, and the verb is separable in the present and other tenses (ich suche auf, er sucht auf). The past participle is aufgesucht. The noun das Aufsuchen denotes the act or process of seeking out or visiting.

Typical constructions include: einen Arzt aufsuchen (to see a doctor); einen Ort, eine Bibliothek, eine Klinik aufsuchen (to visit a place, library, clinic); das Aufsuchen von Quellen (the search for sources). In narration, you can say er suchte die Stadt auf (he visited the city).

Nuances and relation to other verbs: Besuchen emphasizes visiting a person or event, while suchen is a more general verb meaning to look for or search. Aufsuchen adds a sense of purposeful search or a directed visit, sometimes implying effort to find or obtain something not immediately accessible. The verb is widely used in everyday language as well as in formal writing, particularly in medical, academic, or travel contexts.