wachen

Wachen is a German verb meaning to stay awake, to keep watch, or to guard. It can describe a state of alertness, as in “Ich wache über dich” (I watch over you), or a deliberate act of guarding something, as in “Wir wachen die Grenze” (We guard the border). In everyday language it is often joined with prefixes such as durch- (durchwachen) to express staying awake throughout a period, especially the night, and with über to emphasize vigilance, as in “über jemanden wachen.”

Wache (die Wache) is the noun form: the place where guards stand or operate, i.e., a guard post or sentry post. The plural Wachen often refers to multiple posts. In everyday usage, die Wache can also mean a police station, as in “Gehe zur Wache” (go to the police station). In military contexts a Wache is a guard detachment or guard duty; “eine Wache halten” means to perform guard duty.

Pronunciation and usage: Wachen is cognate with English watch and Dutch waken, sharing the same root referring to wakefulness and guarding. The noun Wache is capitalized in German, with Wachen as its plural. The term appears in historical, police, military, and maritime contexts.