Learn Hardcore German: Pass bitte auf, die Pfanne ist heiß!

No. aufpassen is a separable verb meaning “to pay attention,” “to watch out,” or “to be careful.” Pass auf! is the second‑person singular imperative of aufpassen. It’s unrelated to the English verb “pass.”

Why is auf at the end of Pass bitte auf?

Because aufpassen is a separable verb. In main clauses and imperatives, the prefix (auf) moves to the end: Ich passe auf. / Pass auf! Here there’s no object, so auf stands alone at the end of the clause.

Could I also say Bitte pass auf? Does the position of bitte matter?

Yes. Common options are:

Bitte pass auf, … (polite, straightforward)
Pass bitte auf, … (equally common; bitte softens the command)
Pass auf, bitte, … (adds a gentle, coaxing tone) Meaning is the same; placement just shades the tone.

Do I need the -e in Passe auf?

Both Pass auf! and Passe auf! are correct for the “du” imperative. The form without -e (Pass) is far more common in everyday speech; Passe can feel formal or old‑fashioned.

How do I address more than one person or be formal?

Informal plural (ihr): Passt auf!
Formal (Sie, singular or plural): Passen Sie auf! You can add bitte in any of these for politeness.

Why is there a comma before die Pfanne ist heiß?

Because you have two independent main clauses placed side by side. In German, a comma is required between such clauses: Pass bitte auf, die Pfanne ist heiß! You could also use a period: Pass bitte auf. Die Pfanne ist heiß!

Could I say it as two sentences instead?

Yes: Pass bitte auf. Die Pfanne ist heiß! This separates the warning from the information. With the comma, it feels like one urgent breath; with a period, slightly more measured.

Can I say Pass auf die Pfanne auf? Does that mean the same thing?

Pass auf die Pfanne auf! means “Keep an eye on the pan” (watch it, look after it). Your original sentence Pass bitte auf, die Pfanne ist heiß! means “Be careful.” So they’re related but not the same. Note: with an object, aufpassen needs both “aufs”: Er passt auf die Kinder auf.

Why is it die Pfanne, not der Pfanne?

Pfanne is a feminine noun, and here it’s the subject in the nominative: die Pfanne. Der Pfanne would be dative or genitive feminine and is not correct here. Plural is die Pfannen.

How do you pronounce Pfanne and heiß?

Pfanne: pronounce the initial pf as a quick cluster, almost like “p-f”: [ˈpfanə]. A rough guide: “PFAH-neh.”
heiß: the ei is like English “eye,” and ß is an unvoiced “s”: [haɪs], roughly “hice.”

Why doesn’t heiß have an ending here (no -e, -es, etc.)?

After the verb sein (to be), adjectives are used predicatively and stay uninflected: Die Pfanne ist heiß. If the adjective comes before a noun, it inflects: die heiße Pfanne.

What’s the deal with ß in heiß vs ss in pass?

Modern spelling uses ß after long vowels and diphthongs, and ss after short vowels. heiß has the diphthong ei, so ß. passen has a short a, so ss. In Swiss Standard German, ß is not used: heiss.

Is heiß the same as “spicy”?

No. heiß is temperature-hot. “Spicy” is scharf. For milder temperature, use warm; very hot is sehr heiß or glühend heiß.

Are there other natural ways to warn someone here?

Yes:

Vorsicht, die Pfanne ist heiß!
Achtung, die Pfanne ist heiß!
Fass sie nicht an, die Pfanne ist heiß!
Sei vorsichtig, die Pfanne ist heiß! These vary from concise alerts to explicit advice.

Can I drop bitte? How does that change the tone?

You can. Pass auf! is a bare imperative and can sound sharper or more urgent. Bitte softens it and adds politeness: Bitte pass auf!

Why is Pass capitalized here? Is it the noun Pass (passport)?

It’s capitalized only because it starts the sentence. It’s still a verb (imperative of aufpassen). The noun Pass (“passport; mountain pass”) is unrelated here.

I hear Pass mal auf! a lot. What does mal do?

mal is a softening modal particle (from einmal). Pass mal auf! feels less brusque than Pass auf!, like “Hey, just pay attention a moment.” It can also introduce “Listen up...” depending on context.

Can I front the second clause: Die Pfanne ist heiß, pass bitte auf!?

Yes. That order emphasizes the hot pan first and then the instruction. Punctuation stays the same: a comma between the two main clauses, and often an exclamation mark for urgency.

Is the exclamation mark necessary?

Not strictly, but it’s standard with imperatives and warnings. A period would make it sound flatter: Pass bitte auf, die Pfanne ist heiß. The exclamation mark signals urgency.