Nachschlagen

Nachschlagen is a German term with two common uses: as a verb meaning to look up information in a reference source, and as a noun referring to the act or practice of consulting reference works. The verb nachschlagen is separable: in the present tense you say Ich schlage das Wort nach; in the perfect tense you say Ich habe das Wort nachgeschlagen. In subordinate clauses the prefix remains separated, as in Er sagte, er müsse das Wort nachschlagen.

Common contexts for nachschlagen include dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference works. A typical sentence is Ich muss den Begriff im Wörterbuch nachschlagen. The related noun das Nachschlagen denotes the activity itself, for example when students or researchers verify spelling, meaning, or factual details.

A related term is das Nachschlagewerk, a reference work designed for quick retrieval of information. Examples include Wörterbücher (dictionaries), Enzyklopädien (encyclopedias), and Lexika. In education and research, Nachschlagen is a routine part of reading, writing, and problem solving.

Digital and contemporary use extends the concept to online lookups, databases, and software features that support term searches or data retrieval. In English, nachschlagen corresponds to “to look up” or “to consult (a reference work).” While the term retains its traditional scholarly connotation, it also appears in everyday language and digital interfaces as part of information access and verification.