auffalten

Auffalten is a German verb that denotes the action of unfolding or spreading out something that has been folded or compressed. The sense is to bring a compact or folded object into its flat, extended form, such as a map, a piece of fabric, or a sheet.

Morphology and usage notes: Auffalten is a separable prefixed verb. In finite forms the prefix auf- is separated, as in ich faltet die Karte auf, or more commonly ich falte die Karte auf. The past participle is aufgefaltet, and in perfect constructions one can say Die Karte wurde aufgefaltet. The prefix conveys the sense of opening, spreading, or widening the object from its folded state.

Contexts and nuance: Auffalten is most often used with physical objects that are creased or folded for storage or transport. In everyday language, ausfalten (to unfold more fully or to spread out) and aufklappen (to unfold by opening, often used for devices or flaps) are more common in many situations. Auffalten can appear in descriptive or technical prose when emphasizing the act of opening from a folded condition.

Related terms: Ausfalten, Aufklappen, Entfalten. While related, each verb carries distinct nuances—ausfalten emphasizes full spread; aufklappen focuses on opening a lid or panel; entfalten can denote revealing potential or developing something beyond its initial state.

See also: German verb prefixSeparable verb conjugation, difference between physical unfolding and figurative unfolding in discourse.