wach

Wach is a German word meaning awake or alert. It functions as an adjective and as an adverb, describing a state of wakefulness or vigilance. In everyday speech you might hear phrases such as Ich bin heute früh wach (I am awake this morning) or bleib wach (stay awake). Wach is often found in compounds, for example wachsam (watchful) or the related verb aufwachen (to wake up). The term derives from Germanic roots and forms part of a family of words used to express states of consciousness in German.

Beyond its ordinary linguistic use, wach also occurs as a surname and appears in the names of places or organizations within German-speaking regions. In English-language contexts it is typically encountered as a loanword or in discussions of German-language material. There is no separate, standardized English meaning for wach apart from its translation as awake or alert; its interpretation is driven by context.