Sonntag folgt auf Samstag.

Sentence Discussions German
#1
English Translation

Sunday follows Saturday.

What’s wrong with “Sonntag folgt Samstag.”? What purpose is the “auf” in understanding the information?

#2

A (nom) folgt B (dat) - is more like “tracking”, i.e. a continuous process. A follows B whereever B goes.
A (nom) folgt auf B (acc) - is about the order of a sequence.

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#3

gobbledygook! 13141516

#4
  • “folgen” (without “auf”) means “to follow” in the sense of “to walk behind someone”. You use this verb with “jemandem”. Example: He followed me. (Er folgte mir.)
  • “auf etwas oder jemanden folgen” means “to follow” in the sense of “to come after” or “to be the successor”. Example: Sunday comes after Saturday. (Sonntag folgt auf Samstag.)
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#5
English Translation

Sunday follows Saturday.

In English, as well, one would not (completely correctly or idiomatically) say “Sunday follows Saturday.”, but rather “Sunday comes after Saturday.”
One day after another; the day after tomorrow; the day after Xday …