Learn Hardcore German: Ich drucke das Dokument auf Papier aus.

In German, ausdrucken is a separable-prefix verb. In main clauses the prefix aus- detaches from the stem drucken and moves to sentence-final position. The stem remains next to the subject and carries the conjugation (drucke).

What is the difference between drucken and ausdrucken?

drucken means “to print” in a broad sense (e.g. printing fabrics, photographs), while ausdrucken specifically means “to print out” a file or document from a computer or electronic device, creating a physical paper copy.

Why is das Dokument in the accusative case?

das Dokument is the direct object of ausdrucken. Direct objects in German take the accusative case. For a neuter singular noun, the definite article in accusative is das.

Why is there no article before Papier in auf Papier?

Here Papier is used as an uncountable mass noun to indicate the medium (“on paper”). In German, when speaking of a material or medium in general, you typically omit the article.

Which case does Papier have after auf?

The preposition auf can govern accusative (for direction) or dative (for location/medium). In auf Papier, it’s used adverbially to express medium and is effectively dative. Because Papier has the same form in nominative, accusative, and dative when no article is present, you can’t see case marking on the noun itself.

Why does auf Papier come before the separated prefix aus?

In a main clause with a separable-prefix verb, all objects and adverbial phrases (like auf Papier) precede the detached prefix, which then sits at the very end. That’s a fixed word-order rule in German.

Could I say auf dem Papier or auf einem Papier instead of auf Papier?

Yes, but that implies a specific piece of paper (using the dative dem or indefinite einem) and sounds like you’re referring to one sheet. If you mean “on paper” as a general medium, the article-free form auf Papier is more natural.