kaufen vs anschaffen
German word comparison
Listen to kaufen
Listen to anschaffen
| kaufen | anschaffen |
|---|---|
KAU-fen verb | /ˈanʃafn̩/ (AN-shaf-fən) verb |
| to buy; to purchase | to obtain, to get (often used reflexively as 'sich etwas anschaffen' to mean buying something for personal use) |
How they differ
Anschaffen often emphasizes procuring or getting something, frequently used reflexively ('sich etwas anschaffen') and typically refers to deliberate purchases of items to equip or replace something; it is less formal than erwerben but can imply a planned or significant purchase compared with the neutral kaufen.
When to use each
When to use kaufen: Prefer 'kaufen' when you simply state that you bought something, especially in neutral or transactional contexts.
When to use anschaffen: Use 'anschaffen' (especially 'sich anschaffen') when emphasizing acquiring something for oneself, often a new or larger item bought intentionally.
Side-by-side examples
- Er hat ein neues Auto gekauft.
(He bought a new car.) - Er hat sich ein neues Auto angeschafft.
(He got himself a new car.)
Register & nuance: Colloquial to neutral; common in spoken German and in contexts about procuring items for personal use.
- See the full Word of the Day entry for kaufen
- See the Word of the Day entry for anschaffen
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