abtaucht

Abtaucht is the third-person singular present tense form of the German verb abtauchen. The base verb means to submerge, to dive underwater, or to withdraw from a situation. The prefix ab- conveys movement away or away from sight, while tauchen means to dive.

Usage and meanings include both literal and figurative senses. Literally, it describes submerging by divers or submarines: for example, ein U-Boot taucht ab. Figuratively, it can mean withdrawing from public life or disappearing from view: jemand taucht ab, um unerkannt zu bleiben. The expression sich abtauchen is common for going into hiding or retreating from attention.

Grammatical notes are important for correct form. Abtauchen is a separable verb, so in the present tense it is written as two words: ich tauche ab, du tauchst ab, er taucht ab. The form abtaucht appears as a stem or in learning materials, but everyday usage relies on the two-word construction. The past participle is abgetaucht, and in perfect tense German typically uses ist abgetaucht to indicate a completed submersion or disappearance.

Nouns related to the concept include das Abtauchen (the act of submerging or disappearing) and das Auftauchen as the opposite (surfacing). Abtauchen also appears in figurative contexts such as media or political life to describe intentional withdrawal.

See also: Auftauchen, das Abtauchen, sich verstecken. Related verbs include tauchen (to dive) and verschwinden (to disappear).