Auswendig

Auswendig is a German adverb meaning “by heart” or “from memory.” It describes knowledge or recall that does not rely on notes, prompts, or reference materials. The term is commonly used with verbs such as lernen and wissen or kennen to indicate memorization or recall.

Typical usage includes phrases like: Ich kenne das Gedicht auswendig. (I know the poem by heart.) Ich habe den Text auswendig gelernt. (I learned the text by heart.) Das musste auswendig gelernt werden. (That had to be learned by heart.) While auswendig mostly functions adverbially, it can appear in participial constructions such as auswendig gelernt, meaning “learned by heart.”

Grammatically, auswendig modifies the verb and is not normally used as a separate attribute for a noun. It is closely associated with learning, memory tasks, and recitation, and is widely understood across German-speaking regions, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In educational contexts, instructors frequently emphasize auswendig lernen as a study method, although it is often balanced with understanding and comprehension.

Translations into English capture the sense of memorization, with common equivalents being “by heart” or “from memory.” Related expressions include aus dem Gedächtnis (from memory) and das Gedicht auswendig kennen (to know the poem by heart).

Overall, auswendig denotes the internalization of information to the point where it can be recalled without external aids, and it remains a standard term in academic, literary, and everyday German.