zuknöpfen

to button up

verb TSOO-knuep-fen Rare

Usage Note

zuknöpfen means to fasten the buttons of a garment; the opposite is aufknöpfen (to unbutton). Used for shirts, coats, and children's clothing: Knöpf deine Jacke zu! is a classic parental instruction.

Examples

"Knöpf die Jacke zu, es ist kalt draußen."

Natural Translation

Button up your jacket, it is cold outside.

Literal Translation

Button-up the jacket, it is cold outside.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Days, Months & Seasons (am, im & -tag)

Days of the week in German use am, months and seasons use im — plus the -tag pattern, capitalized nouns, and how to build a real sentence with a day.

June 5, 2026 4 min read

GermanNow

Du vs. Sie: When to Use Each in German

Use Sie with strangers, elders, and at work; use du with friends, family, kids, and peers. Here's how to pick the right German you every time.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

How to Tell Time in German Without Mistakes

Halb sieben means 6:30, not 7:30. Master telling time in German — Viertel nach, halb, vor, the 24-hour clock, and the prepositions that trip up beginners.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

Order Food in German: Restaurant Phrases

Order food in German with confidence: use ich hätte gern, read the Speisekarte, ask die Rechnung bitte, and handle zusammen oder getrennt like a local.

June 5, 2026 5 min read