German Verb Prefixes Part 2: Separable Verb Prefixes Verbalpräfixe - Vorsilben bei Zeitwörtern This verb prefix guide, with a prefix chart, is part of Lesson of Lesson 19 of our of free German for Beginners course. To learn more about German verbs, also see our German Verbs section and the Verb-Lexikon Verb-Lexikon.. Also see: Verb Prefixes and Rechtschreibreform
Separable Prefixes 1 Below we have listed the most common separable prefixes in German. For more of the separable prefixes, including less common ones (fehl (fehl-, -, statt statt-, -, etc.), see Separable Prefixes 2. 2. Verb Prefixes: Inseparable > Separable 1 > Separable 2 > Dual > Rechtschreibreform > Sample Sentences with verb prefixes
Separable Prefixes 1 Trennbare Präfixe 1
Prefix
Meaning
Examples
ab-ab
from
abblenden (screen, fade out, dim [lights]) abdanken (abdicate, resign) abkommem (get away) abnehmen (pick up; decrease, reduce) abschaffen (abolish, do away with) abziehen (deduct, withdraw, print [photos])
an-an
at, to
anbauen (cultivate, grow, plant) anbringen (fasten, install, display) anfangen (begin, start) anhängen (attach) ankommen (arrive) anschauen (look at, examine)
auf -
on, out, up, un-
aufbauen (build up, put up, add on)
aufdrehen (turn on, unscrew, wind up) auffallen (stand out, be noticeable) aufgeben (give up; check [luggage]) aufkommen (arise, spring up; bear [costs]) aufschließen (unlock; develop [land]) aus-aus
out, from
ausbilden (educate, train) ausbreiten (extend, spread out) ausfallen (fail, fall out, be canceled) ausgehen (go out) ausmachen (10 meanings!) aussehen (appear, look [like]) auswechseln (exchange, replace [parts])
See The 10 Meanings of the German Verb 'ausmachen'. 'ausmachen'. bei-bei
durch-* durch -*
along, with
beibringen (teach; inflict) beikommen (get hold of, deal with) beischlafen (have sexual relations with) beisetzen (bury, inter) beitragen (contribute [to]) beitreten (join)
through
durchhalten (withstand, endure; hold out) durchfahren (drive through)
*The prefix durch durch-- is usually separable, but it can also be inseparable. See Dual Prefixes. Prefixes. ein-ein
in, into, inward, down
einatmen (inhale) einberufen (conscript, draft; convene, summon) einbrechen (break in; break down/through, cave in) eindringen (force entry into, penetrate, besiege) einfallen (collapse; occur to, remind) eingehen (enter, sink in, be received)
fort-fort
away, forth, onward
fortbilden (continue education) fortbringen (take away [for repair], post) fortpflanzen (propagate, reproduce; be transmitted) fortsetzen (continue) forttreiben (drive away)
mit-mit
along, with, co-
mitarbeiten (cooperate, collaborate) mitbestimmen (co-determine, have a say in) mitbringen (bring along) mitfahren (go/travel with, get a lift) mitmachen (join in, go along with) mitteilen (inform, communicate)
nach-nach
after, copy, re-
nachahmen (imitate, emulate, copy) nachbessern (retouch) nachdrucken (reprint) nachfüllen (refill, top up/off) nachgehen (follow, go after; run slow [clock]) nachlassen (slacken, loosen)
vor-vor
before, forward, pre-, pro-
vorbereiten (prepare) vorbeugen (prevent; bend forward) vorbringen (propose, bring up; bring forward, produce) vorführen (present, perform) vorgehen (proceed, go on, go first) vorlegen (present, submit)
weg-weg
away, off
wegbleiben (stay away)
aufdrehen (turn on, unscrew, wind up) auffallen (stand out, be noticeable) aufgeben (give up; check [luggage]) aufkommen (arise, spring up; bear [costs]) aufschließen (unlock; develop [land]) aus-aus
out, from
ausbilden (educate, train) ausbreiten (extend, spread out) ausfallen (fail, fall out, be canceled) ausgehen (go out) ausmachen (10 meanings!) aussehen (appear, look [like]) auswechseln (exchange, replace [parts])
See The 10 Meanings of the German Verb 'ausmachen'. 'ausmachen'. bei-bei
durch-* durch -*
along, with
beibringen (teach; inflict) beikommen (get hold of, deal with) beischlafen (have sexual relations with) beisetzen (bury, inter) beitragen (contribute [to]) beitreten (join)
through
durchhalten (withstand, endure; hold out) durchfahren (drive through)
*The prefix durch durch-- is usually separable, but it can also be inseparable. See Dual Prefixes. Prefixes. ein-ein
in, into, inward, down
einatmen (inhale) einberufen (conscript, draft; convene, summon) einbrechen (break in; break down/through, cave in) eindringen (force entry into, penetrate, besiege) einfallen (collapse; occur to, remind) eingehen (enter, sink in, be received)
fort-fort
away, forth, onward
fortbilden (continue education) fortbringen (take away [for repair], post) fortpflanzen (propagate, reproduce; be transmitted) fortsetzen (continue) forttreiben (drive away)
mit-mit
along, with, co-
mitarbeiten (cooperate, collaborate) mitbestimmen (co-determine, have a say in) mitbringen (bring along) mitfahren (go/travel with, get a lift) mitmachen (join in, go along with) mitteilen (inform, communicate)
nach-nach
after, copy, re-
nachahmen (imitate, emulate, copy) nachbessern (retouch) nachdrucken (reprint) nachfüllen (refill, top up/off) nachgehen (follow, go after; run slow [clock]) nachlassen (slacken, loosen)
vor-vor
before, forward, pre-, pro-
vorbereiten (prepare) vorbeugen (prevent; bend forward) vorbringen (propose, bring up; bring forward, produce) vorführen (present, perform) vorgehen (proceed, go on, go first) vorlegen (present, submit)
weg-weg
away, off
wegbleiben (stay away)
wegfahren (leave, drive off, sail away) wegfallen (be discontinued, cease to apply, be omitted) weghaben (have got done, have got done) wegnehmen (take away) wegtauchen (disappear) zu-zu
shut/closed, to, towards, upon
zubringen (bring/take to) zudecken (cover up, tuck in) zuerkennen (bestow, confer [on]) zufahren (drive/ride towards) zufassen (make a grab for) zulassen (authorize, license) zunehmen (increase, gain, add weight)
zurück-zurück
back, re-
zurückblenden (flash back [to]) zurückgehen (go back, return) zurückschlagen (hit/strike back) zurückschrecken (shrink back/from, recoil, shy away) zurücksetzen (reverse, mark down, put back) zurückweisen (refuse, repulse, turn back/away)
zusammen-zusammen
together
zusammenbauen (assemble) zusammenfassen (summarize) zusammenklappen (fold up, shut) zusammenkommen (meet, come together) zusammensetzen (seat/put together) zusammenstoßen (collide, clash)
NOTE: All of the separable verbs form their past participle with ge ge-, -, as in zurückgegangen (zurückgehen zurückgehen). ). NEXT > Separable Prefixes 2 | Dual Prefixes (Separable/Inseparable)
Also see: Verb Prefixes and Rechtschreibreform Comments: Separable Prefix Verbs German separable prefix verbs can be compared to English verbs like "call up," "clear out" or "fill in." While in English you can say either "Clear out your drawers" or "Clear your drawers out," in German the separable prefix is almost always at the end, as in the second English example. A German example with anrufen anrufen:: Heute ruft er seine Freundin an an.. = Today he's calling his girlfriend (up (up). ). This applies to most "normal" German sentences, but in some cases (infinitive forms or in dependent clauses) the "separable" prefix does not separate. See Lesson 19 and the Sample Sentences page for more about this. In spoken German, separable verb prefixes are stressed. All of the separable-prefix verbs verbs form their past participle with ge ge-. -. Examples: Sie hat gestern angerufen,, She called/telephoned angerufen call ed/telephoned yesterday. yesterday. Er war schon zurückgegangen, zurückgegangen , He had already gone back. - For more about German verb tenses, see our German Verbs section.
German Verb Prefixes Separable and Inseparable Verb Prefixes
Verbalpräfixe - Vorsilben bei Zeitwörtern This verb prefix guide, with a prefix chart, is part of Lesson 19 of our of free German for Beginners course. To learn more about German verbs, also see our German Verbs section and the Verb-Lexikon.
Part 1: Inseparable Prefixes Verb Prefixes There are three kinds of verb prefixes in German: (1) separable (trennbar ), (2) inseparable (untrennbar ), and (3) dual prefixes (usually a preposition) that can be both. Separable prefixes are stressed (betont ) in their pronunciation; inseparable prefixes are unstressed (unbetont ). In this verb prefix chart, we have divided the prefixes into their three categories. By adding various prefixes to a base verb, German can produce new meanings: kommen > abkommen (digress), ankommen (arrive), bekommen (get), entkommen (escape). (English does the same thing, using Greek and Latin prefixes: form > deform, inform, perform, etc.) Knowing the basic meaning of a verb prefix can be helpful in learning German vocabulary, but not all prefixes have a specific meaning, nor does each prefix always have the same meaning. For instance, knowing the meaning of the prefix ver- may or may not help you understand the meaning of verbs like verschlafen (to oversleep) or versprechen (to promise). The prefix meanings can be interesting and helpful, but they are no substitute for learning vocabulary. If you are not already familiar with how separable and inseparable verbs are used in a sentence, see Lesson 19 and our Sample Sentences page for examples. Also see additional comments at the end of each section of the prefix chart.
Verb Prefixes: Inseparable > Separable > Dual > Rechtschreibreform > Sample Sentences with verb prefixes
Inseparable Prefixes Untrennbare Präfixe
Prefix be-
Meaning like English bemakes verb take a direct object (acc.)
emp-
ent-
Examples s. befinden (be located) befolgen (follow) befreunden (befriend) begegnen (meet) bekommen (get) bemerken (notice, remark)
sense, receive
empfangen (receive) empfehlen (recommend) empfinden (feel)
away from
entarten (degenerate)
English de-/dis-
er-
entbehren (miss, do without) entdecken (discover) entfallen (elude, slip) entfernen (remove, take out) entkalken (decalcify) entkleiden (disrobe, undress) entkommen (escape, get away) entlassen (discharge, release) entstehen (originate, be formed/created) entwerten (devalue, cancel)
fatal, dead
erhängen (hang, execute) erschiessen (shoot dead) ertrinken (drown)
like English re-
s. erinnern (remember) erkennen (recognize) erholen (recover, relax)
--
gebrauchen (use, make use of) gedenken (commemorate, intend) gefallen (like) gehören (belong to) gelangen (arrive at) geloben (vow) genesen (recover, recuperate) gestalten (shape, form) gestehen (confess) gewähren (grant, give, offer)
miss-
English mis-
missachten (disregard, disdain) missbrauchen (abuse, misuse) misstrauen (mistrust) missverstehen (misunderstand)
ver-
bad, awry English mis-
verachten (despise) verbilden (miseducate) verderben (go bad, spoil) s. verfahren (go astray, get lost) verkommen (go to ruin, become run down) verschlafen (oversleep)
lose, away/out
verdrängen (drive out) verduften (lose its aroma) verlassen (leave, abandon) verlieren (lose)
English for-
verbieten (forbid) vergeben (forgive) vergessen (forget)
???
verbinden (bandage, link, tie) vergrößern (enlarge) verhaften (arrest) versprechen (promise)
full, complete
vollenden (complete, finish) vollführen (execute, perform) vollstrecken (enforce, execute)
ge-
voll-*
*NOTE: Some verbal expressions with voll treat voll as an adverb rather than a prefix, and are spelled with the adverb voll separated from the verb, even in the infini tive form. Examples include: voll dröhnen (dope/tank up), voll essen (gorge oneself), voll machen (fill [up]).
zer-
collapse, shatter, shred
zerbrechen (shatter) zerreissen (rip up, shred) zerstören (destroy)
NOTE: Inseparable-prefix verbs do not add the normal past participle prefix ge- in the perfect tenses. See the examples below. NEXT > Separable Prefixes | Dual Prefixes
Also see: Verb Prefixes and Rechtschreibreform Comments: Inseparable Prefix Verbs There are verbs in English that are constructed and used much like German inseparable-prefix verbs: contend, extend, pretend, and intend are all based on the verb "tend." A similar example in German is the verb finden (find). By adding various inseparable prefixes, German alters the meaning of finden to create new meanings: sich befinden (be located), empfinden (feel), or erfinden (invent). As you can see, many common German verbs are inseparable-prefix verbs. German verbs with inseparable prefixes do not add the normal past participle prefix ge- in the perfect tenses. Examples: bekommen (to get) hat/hatte bekommen; erwarten (to expect, await) hat/hatte erwartet; verstehen (to understand) hat/hatte verstanden. For more about German verb tenses, see our German Verbs section
German for Beginners Lesson 19 German Verbs: Separable and Inseparable Prefixes Verben: Trennbare und untrennbare Präfixe
Wann fängt man an, das Haus zu sanieren? When are they going to start renovating the building? Foto © H. Flippo
Many common verbs in German belong to a category called separable-prefix verbs or inseparable-prefix verbs. In general, they are conjugated just like all other German verbs, but you need to know what happens to the prefix when you use these verbs. Separable prefixes, as the name implies, usually (but not always) separate from the basic verb stem. German separable-prefix verbs can be compared to English verbs like "call up," "clear out" or "fill in." While in English you can say either "Clear out your drawers" or "Clear your drawers out," in German the separable prefix is al most always at the end, as in the second English example. A German example with anrufen: Heute ruft er seine Freundin an. = Today he's calling his girlfriend (up). Commonly used separable prefixes include: ab-, an-, auf -, aus-, ein-, vor- and zusammen-. Many common verbs use separable prefixes: abdrehen (to turn/switch off), anerkennen (to recognize [officially]), aufleuchten (to light up), ausgehen (to go out), sich einarbeiten (to get used to the work), vorlesen (to read aloud), zusammenfassen (to summarize). There are three situations in which the "separable" prefix doesn't separate: (1) in the i nfinitive form (i.e., with modals and in the future tense), (2) in dependent clauses, and (3) in the past participle (with ge-). An example of a dependent clause situation would be: "Ich weiß nicht, wann er ankommt." (I don't know when he's arriving.) See below for more about past participles with separable prefixes. In spoken German, separable verb prefixes are stressed (betont ): AN-kommen. All of the separable-prefix verbs form the past participle with ge-, with the prefix located in front of and attached to the past participle. Examples: Sie hat gestern angerufen, She called/telephoned yesterday. Er war schon zurückgefahren, He had already gone back.
For more about the separable-prefix verbs, see our Separable Verb Prefixes page. For more about German verb tenses in general, see our German Verbs section. Here are some sample sentences in various tenses with the verb anfangen, with the separable prefix in red: | Bookmark | Make this Site Your Homepage! Print this Page
Sample Sentences with the separable-prefix verb anfangen, to begin, start DEUTSCH
ENGLISH Present Tense
Wann fangen Sie an?
When do you begin?
Ich fange heute an.
I start today. Pres.PerfectTense
Wann haben sie angefangen?
When did they begin? PastPerfectTense
Wann hatten Sie angefangen?
When had you begun? PastTense
Wann fingen wir an?
When did we begin? FutureTense
Wir werden wieder anfangen.
We will begin again. WithModals
Können wir heute anfangen?
Can we begin today?
Inseparable prefixes include be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ver- and zer-. Many common German verbs use such prefixes: beantworten (to answer), empfinden (to sense, feel), entlaufen (to get/run away), erröten (to blush), verdrängen (to oust, replace), zerstreuen (to disperse, scatter). The inseparable verb prefixes remain attached to the stem verb in all situations: "Ich verspreche nichts." - "Ich kann nichts versprechen." In spoken German, inseparable verb prefixes are unstressed (unbetont ). Their past participles do not use ge- ("Ich habe nichts versprochen."). For more about the inseparable-prefix verbs, see our Inseparable Verb Prefixes page. For a more detailed look at both separable and inseparable-prefix verbs in German (as well as the "variable" or "dual" prefixes), see our Verb Prefixes Guide with prefix charts and sample sentences.
Lesson 7 - Separable Verbs A characteristic feature of German is its ability to create verbs with new meanings through the addition of prefixes to nouns,
adjectives,
or
other
verbs.
For example:
aus + gehen = ausgehen - to go out
ver + kaufen = verkaufen - to sell
German has two categories of prefixes: inseparable prefixes and separable prefixes. However, few prefixes exist that can
be
used
in
either
catgory.
Also, a verb could have more than one prefix, each giving a new verb with a different meaning than the others. Take the verb 'kommen' for example: Same Verb with Different Prefixes
Verb
Meaning
kommen
to come
ankommen
to arrive
mitkommen
to come along
weiter kommen
to get on
hereinkommen
to come in
herauskommen
to come out
nachkommen
to come later
zurückkommen
to come back
Inseparable Prefixes These prefixes are always attached to the front end of a verb and are never removed from it no matter the tense or form of the verb. When pronouncing a verb with an inseparable prefix, the stress is always on the stem of the verb. The table below shows these prefixes, along with some example:
Inseparable Prefixes
Prefix
Example Verb
Meaning
bekommen
to get/receive
besuchen
to visit/attend
empfehlen
to recommend
empfinden
to feel
entlassen
to discharge/fire
entscheiden
to decide/determine
erfinden
to invent/make-up
erwarten
to expect/anticipate
gehorchen
to obey
gestatten
to permit/allow
missachtest
to disobey/disregard
misstrauen
to mistrust/suspect
vergessen
to forget
verstehen
to understand
zerstören
to destroy
zerkratzen
to scratch
be-
emp-
ent-
er-
ge-
miss-
ver-
zer-
The inseparable prefix remains attached to the verb when its conjugated. Notice the position of the inseparable prefix in the following examples:
Ich verstehe sehr gut Deutsch - I understant very good German
Ich besuche meine Eltern jeden Tag - I visit my parents everyday
Separable Prefixes Separable prefixes are adverbs and prepositions that are detached from the verb when it is conjugated. It would be completely impractical to list all of those prefixes; as there are many. When pronouncing a verb with a separable prefix,
the
stress
is
always
on
The table below shows the most common ones along with some examples: Separable Prefixes
Prefix
Example Verb
Meaning
ankommen
to arrive
anrufen
to phone somebody
aufstehen
to wake up
aufhören
to stop/cease
ausgehen
to go out
aussprechen
to pronounce
beibringen
to teach
beitragen
to add/contribute
einkaufen
to go shopping
einladen
to invite
fortfahren
to continue/proceed
fortgehen
to go away
mitgehen
to go along
an-
auf-
aus-
bei-
ein-
fort-
mit-
the
separable
prefix.
mitarbeiten
to collaborate
nachahmen
to imitate/copy
nacharbeiten
to rework/revise
vorstellen
to present/introduce
vorbereiten
to prepare/set up
wegfahren
to drive away
weglaufen
to run away
zuhören
to listen
zunehmen
to increase/grow
nach-
vor-
weg-
zu-
As already mentioned, when a verb with a separable prefix is conjugated in the present tense, the separable prefix is detached from it. The prefix is moved to the end of its clause. Notice the position of the inseparable prefix in the following examples:
Herr Bauer ruft seine Frau an - Mr Bauer is calling his wife
Ich gehe mit meinen Freunden jeden Tag aus - I go out with my friends everyday
Sie kauft im Supermarkt ein - She is shopping in the s upermarket
Prefixes that can be Separable or Inseparable A few prefixes exist that can be either separable or inseparable, depending on the way the verb is pronounced. When the stress is on the prefix itself, the prefix is separable. But when the stress is on the stem of the verb, it's a strong signal
that
the
prefix
A few examples are shown in the next table: Prefixes that can be Separable or Inseparable
Prefix
Separable Verb
Inseparable Verb
durch-
durchfallen
durchdringen
is
an
inseparable
one.
um-
umsteigen
umarmen
wieder-
wiedergeben
wiederholen
Of course, the verb conjugation depends on whether the prefix is separable or inseparable, as shown in the next example:
Wir steigen in Berlin um ( umsteigen ) - We change (busses) in Berlin
Wir unarmen uns ( unarmen ) - We embrace ourselves
That brings us to the end of this lesson. Make sure to solve the exercises associated with this lesson before proceeding to the next ones.
German verbs Separable & inseparable prefix verbs About verb prefixes | Differences in usage | Separable prefixes | Inseparable prefixes | Dual prefixes
Other verb topics: The infinitive | The past participle | The present participle | Weak verbs | Strong verbs | Mixed verbs List of strong & irregular verbs & their forms | More on German verbs: GERMAN GRAMMAR INDEX
About separable & inseparable prefix verbs Verbs from nouns, adjectives, & other verbs A characteristic feature of German is its ability to create verbs with new meanings through the addition of prefixes. Many verbs in German are created from the addition of prefixes to nouns, adjectives, or other verbs. For instance, from the noun Urlaub, vacation, comes the verb beurlauben, to grant a leave. And from the adjective einfach, simple , comes the verb vereinfachen, to simplify. When added to verbs, prefixes create new verbs with their own meanings. Sometimes the new word is similar in meaning with root verb: fragen, to ask , becomes befragen, to question, or nachfragen, to inquire, for example. Sometimes the newly created verb seems only somewhat related to the root verb or is even opposite in meaning: kaufen, to buy becomes verkaufen, to sell. Quite frequently, however, prefixes change the meaning of a verb so substantially, they have no apparent relationship to the meaning of the root verb: hören to hear becomes aufhören, to stop, cease; fahren, to drive becomes erfahren to experience.
Comparison with English phrasal verbs While the different meanings that arise through the addition of prefixes may at first seem illogical to English speakers, it is important to note that English has similar types of verb phrases. The verb to stand is quite different in meaning from to stand out, to stand by , to stand back , or to stand in. And the verb to call is very different from to call up, to call out , to call for , or to call off . The major difference between the two languages is that in English an additional word(s) are used to complete the meaning of the verb, while in German these words are prefixes attached to the verb's infinitive form.
About verb prefixes | Differences in usage | Separable prefixes | Inseparable prefixes | Dual prefixes The infinitive | The past participle | The present participle | Weak verbs | Strong verbs | Mixed verbs List of strong & irregular verbs | For more verb topics, see the GERMAN GRAMMAR INDEX
Separable vs. inseparable prefix verbs: Usage As the name implies, inseparable prefix verbs have affixes at the start of the word that remain attached to the root in all conjugations and tenses. By contrast, the prefixes of separable prefix verbs are detached from the verb root when the verb is conjugated as a finite verb in the sentence (i.e. the one that agrees with the subject of the sentence) in the present and simple past tenses:
Inseparable prefix verbs
Separable prefix verbs
PRESENT TENSE:
Morgen besuche ich meine Eltern. Sie erfährt das Stadtleben. Er unterschreibt den Brief.
Morgen kaufe ich ein. Der Film fängt um 19.15 Uhr an. Wir nehmen immer daran teil.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE:
Gestern besuchte ich meine Eltern. Sie erfuhr das Stadtleben. Er unterschrieb den Brief.
Gestern kaufte ich ein. Der Film fing um 19.15 Uhr an. Wir nahmen immer daran teil.
Another important difference occurs in the past participle form. In the past participles of separable prefix verbs, the -ge- prefix appears between the prefix and the verb root. However, the past participles of inseparable prefix verbs completely omit the ge- prefix in their past participles and retain the inseparable prefixes in place of the ge-.
PERFECT TENSE:
Inseparable prefix verbs
Separable prefix verbs
Gestern habe ich sie besucht. Sie hat das Stadtleben erfahren. Er hat den Brief unterschrieben.
Gestern habe ich eingekauft. Der Film hat schon angefangen. Wir haben immer daran teilgenommen.
In infinitive constructions that use zu, the zu likewise appears between the prefix and verb root of separable prefix verbs, and these are written together as a single word. Inseparable prefix verbs, on the other hand, behave in these infinitive constructions just like verbs that have no prefixes..
INFINITIVE CLAUSE:
Inseparable prefix verbs
Separable prefix verbs
Ich habe vor, meine Eltern zubesuchen. Um den Brief zu unterschreiben, brauche ich einen Stift.
Anstatt heute einzukaufen, bleibe ich zu Hause. Wir haben keine Lust, an der Sache teilzunehmen.
Like inseparable prefixes, separable prefixes remain attached to the verb root in the verb's infinitive form, and when the finite verb appears at the end of a dependent clause. Inseparable prefix verbs
Separable prefix verbs
Infinitive
Willst du deine Eltern besuchen? Er wird den Brief unterschreiben.
Wo wirst du morgen einkaufen? Wir wollen immer daran teilnehmen.
Dependent clauses
Ich sage, dass ich Peter besuche. Als er den Brief unterschrieb, klingelte das Telefon.
Er fragte, ob ich morgen einkaufe. Wenn du daran teilnimmst, lernst du viel.
See also The infinitive, The past participle, Infinitive constructions.
About verb prefixes | Differences in usage | Separable prefixes | Inseparable prefixes | Dual prefixes The infinitive | The past participle | The present participle | Weak verbs | Strong verbs | Mixed verbs List of strong & irregular verbs | For more verb topics, see the GERMAN GRAMMAR INDEX
Inseparable prefixes Inseparable prefix verbs are verbs whose initial syllable is never detached from the verb root in any tense or conjugated form. These are always unstressed syllables and usually, though not always, are morphemes (i.e. units of meaning) that cannot stand as separate words. Prefixes that are always inseparable are: be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, & zer-. The most common of these is ver-. Though the meanings of these prefixes are not fixed, they encompass a range of connotations that can be described in general categories. These delineations are not exhaustive and do not include every possible meaning of a prefix, but can be helpful in understanding the gist of a verb. Prefix
be-
Meaning
Examples
1) Makes intransitive verbs or verbs with prepositional objects transitive, or shifts the action to a different object.
zaubern - to do magic | bezaubern - to enchant
Ich beantworte die Frage. (Ich antworte auf die Frage.) Er beschenkt Sie. ( Er schenkt Ihnen etwas.)
2) Added to nouns to create verbs with the idea of providing something. (Often ig- is added.)
die Nachricht message | benachrichtigento notify
3) Added to adjectives to create verbs with the idea of bestowing that quality. (Often - ig- is added.)
ruhig quiet, still | beruhigento calm
die Waffe weapon | bewaffnento arm
taub numb | betäubento numb, drug trüb dreary | betrübento sadden
Note: Approximately 25% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with be-.
ent-
1) Added to verbs to convey the idea of escaping or moving away. 2) Creates verbs from nouns, adjectives, or verbs. Indicates the removal of something.
fliehen to flee | entfliehento escape, flee (from) kommen to come | entkommento escape, come away (from)
laden to load | entladento unload decken to cover | entdeckento discover fern far | entfernento remove, delete
ent- often corresponds to English un-, de-
die Fessel chain | entfesselnto unchain
or dis-. Note: Approximately 15% of all inseparable prefix verbs beg in with ent-.
emp-
er-
A variation of ent- that is used before some verb roots beginning with f .
fehlen to be lacking | empfehlento recommend
1) Creates verbs from nouns or other verbs. Conveys the conclusion or end achievement of an action.
finden to find | erfindento invent
2) Creates verbs from adjectives. Conveys the idea of becoming something or giving something a quality. Often adds an umlaut to the root, where possible.
finden to find | empfindento perceive, sense
lernen to learn | erlernento learn, acquire trinken to drink | ertrinkento drown
ganz whole | ergänzento complete niedrig low | erniedrigento humiliate neu new | erneuernto renew, revive
Note: Approximately 10% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with er-.
ge-
miss-
ver-
ge- is rare as a verb prefix. It carries no
fallen to fall | gefallento be pleasing
distinct meaning. In many instances, the root verb is linguistically extinct.
--- | geschehen to occur --- | gelingen to succeed
Like the English prefix mis-, the German miss- indicates failure. It creates a verb that stands as a negative opposite to its positive or neutral root.
-- | misslingento fail fallen to fall | missfallento displease billigen to approve | missbilligento disapprove handeln to act | misshandelnto maltreat, abuse
1) Added to verbs to express idea of completion, waning, or going away.
brennen to burn | verbrennenburn (to ashes, to death), scorch hungern to be hungry | verhungernto starve geben to give | vergebento give away jagen to hunt | ver jagento chase away
2) Added to verbs to express the idea of doing something to excess or wrongly, or to convey the opposite meaning from its root. 3) Creates verbs from adjectives or nouns that convey the idea of becoming something or giving something a quality.
lernen to learn | verlernento unlearn, forget führen to lead | verführento seduce achten to esteem | verachtento despise bergen to salvage | verbergento conceal, hide
Deutsch | verdeutschento translate into German der Stein stone | versteinernto turn to stone die Ursache cause | verursachento cause einfach simple | vereinfachento simplify deutlich clear | verdeutlichento elucidate
4) Creates verbs from nouns to convey the idea of providing something.
das Silber silver | versilbernto silver plate der Körper body | verkörpernto embody
Note: Approximately 45% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with ver-.
zer-
Creates verbs from nouns, adjectives, or other verbs to indicate destruction, usually "into pieces".
das Glied member, limb | zergliedernto dismember klein small | zerkleinernto reduce to small bits stören to bother | zerstörento destroy teilen to divide | zerteilento disperse
There are a handful of prefixes which may be separable or inseparable. These include: durch-, über-, um-, and unter-. The distinctions in usage are the same as the distinctions between inseparable and separable prefixes discussed below.
About verb prefixes | Differences in usage | Separable prefixes | Inseparable prefixes | Dual prefixes The infinitive | The past participle | The present participle | Weak verbs | Strong verbs | Mixed verbs List of strong & irregular verbs | For more verb topics, see the GERMAN GRAMMAR INDEX
Separable prefixes Separable prefix verbs are verbs whose initial syllable is detached from the verb root in finite or inflected forms. These are always stressed syllables and usually, though not always, a re morphemes (i.e. units of meaning) that can stand as separate words. These are most frequently prepositions (e.g, ab, an, auf , aus, bei, mit, nach, statt, vor, zu) or adverbs (e.g., fort, los, nieder, vorbei, weg, zurück, zusammen). However, nouns and adjectives can also serve as separable prefixes (e.g., teilnehmen, festhalten). Because the separable prefixes are typically words with distinct meanings, their meanings as
prefixes are often more stable and predictable than the connotations of the inseparable prefixes. Nonetheless, the possible meanings given below are not exhaustive; they are meant as a general reference. Here are some of the more common separable prefixes and their frequent meanings. Prefix
ab-
an-
Meaning
Examples
Conveys "away", "down", "off", with the idea of finishing or completing an action
fliegen to fly | abfliegen to depart (of airplane)
Conveys "at", "on", or the idea of starting an action or doing something partially.
lächeln to smile | anlächelnto smile at
nehmen to take | abnehmen to take down/off
schauen to look | anschauento look at probieren to try | anprobierento try on tasten to touch | antasten to touch on trinken to drink | antrinkento start drinking
auf-
Conveys "up" or the idea of a sudden start
klären- to clarify | auf klärento clear up essen to eat | auf essento eat up munter lively | auf munternto liven up brechen to break | auf brechento break open, to set out (on a trip)
aus-
Conveys "out" with the idea of completing an action
gleichen to equal | ausgleichento even out rufen to call | ausrufento cry out radieren to erase | ausradierento erase (completely)
ein-
los-
Derived from the preposition "in". Conveys "in" or the idea of getting used to something
Conveys "away" or the idea of beginning something
atmen to breathe | einatmento inhale leiten to lead | einleitento introduce spielen to play | einspielento warm up
fahren to drive | losfahrento set out (on a trip) reißen to rip | losreißento tear away werden to become | loswerdento get rid of
mit-
Conveys "along", "away", or the idea of accompanying or cooperating
nehmen to take | mitnehmento take along singen to sing | mitsingen to join in singing machen to do | mitmachento participate
vor-
Conveys the idea of demonstrating, going forward, or preceding
schreiben to write | vorschreibento stipulate singen to sing | vorsingento sing to wärmen to warm | vorwärmento preheat
weg-
schicken to send | wegschickento send away
Conveys "away"
führen to lead | wegführen to lead away
zurück-
denken to think | zurückdenkento think back
Conveys "back", the idea of returning
reisen to travel | zurückreisento travel back
zusammen-
Conveys "up" or "together", the idea of reducing to a focal point
schrumpfen to shrink | zusammenschrumpfento shrivel up kleben to adhere | zusammenklebento stick together brechen to break | zusammenbrechento collapse, cave in
About verb prefixes | Differences in usage | Separable prefixes | Inseparable prefixes | Dual prefixes The infinitive | The past participle | The present participle | Weak verbs | Strong verbs | Mixed verbs List of strong & irregular verbs | For more verb topics, see the GERMAN GRAMMAR INDEX
Prefixes that are separable or inseparable Some prefixes can be used as separable prefixes or inseparable prefixes. The most common of these are durch-, über-, um-, unter-, and wider-. There is a usually a clear distinction in meaning between those used separably and those use inseparably. The separable prefixes a re usually more literal in meaning than the inseparable ones. It is also quite easy to distinguish between the two because the separable prefixes are always stressed and the inseparable prefixes are always unstressed. (Underlining indicates word stress.) Inseparable prefix verbs
durch-
über-
Separable prefix verbs
Most compounds with the durch- prefix are either separable or exist in both forms. Means 'through', 'without interruption', or indicates the conquering of obstacles or denotes completion
durchlebento experience
durchschlafento sleep uninterrupted
durchdenken to think over
durchfallento fall through; fail
Ich habe es nicht richtig durchdacht.
Er ist in der Prüfung durchgefallen.
About 75% of verbs with the über- prefix are inseparable. Usually combined with transitive verbs, indicates 'over', 'up', or movement over a bounda ry.
übersetzento translate
überordnento give precedence to
übermalento paint over
überkochen to boil over
Die Grafittis übermalen wir mit grauer Farbe.
Die Kartoffeln kochen über.
um-
um- is equally frequent as a separable and an inseparable prefix. Means 'around', or indicates movement
in a different/opposite direction or to a different side, or a change of some kind.
unter-
umgebento surround
umschulento retrain
umgehen to go around
umwenden to turn over
umarmen to embrace
umsteigen to change (buses, etc.)
Wir umarmen uns.
Wir steigen in Köln um.
unter- is equally frequent as a separable and an inseparable prefix. It is almost always transitive or
reflexive. Means 'under', 'among' and can imply 'at the bottom of a text'. In a few words, the meaning is indistinct.
wider-
unterschreibento sign
unterkommento find accomodation
unterdrücken to suppress
untertauchen to submerge
unterschätzen to underestimate
untergehen to sink
Der Lehrer unterschätzt ihre Intelligenz.
Die Sonne geht unter.
With a few exceptions, most verbs with the prefix wider- are separable. Means 'against', 'toward', or 'back'. widersprechen to contradict
widerhallen to echo, reverberate
widerrufen to take back, revoke
widerspiegeln to reflect
Der Angeklagte widerruft sein Geständnis.
Kunst spiegelt den Zeitgeist wider.
Sometimes two verbs exist that as infinitives appear to be identical, except that one has a separable prefix and the other an inseparable prefix. However, differences lie in both meaning and also pronunciation; as with other verbs with prefixes, separable prefixes are stressed, inseparable unstressed. Inseparable prefix verbs
Separable prefix verbs
umschreiben to paraphrase, circumscribe
umschreibento rewrite
Er hat den Kern des Problems umschrieben.
Ich habe den Artikel umgeschrieben.
He outlined the heart of the problem.
I rewrote the article.
überspringento skip, jump
überspringento cross over
Er überspringt die Hürde.
Die Gewalt springt in Nachbarstaaten über.
He jumped the hurdle.
The violence is spreading to neighboring countries.
durchschauento see through
durchschauen to look over, look through
Er durchschaut ihre Lügen.
Wir schauen die Bücher durch.
He sees through her lies.
We're looking over the books.
German
English
abräumen
to clean or clean up
anfagen
to start
anhaben
to have on
anrufen
to call on the phone
aufmachen
to open
ausgeben
to spend money
beibringen
to teach
einkaufen
to shop or buy
einladen
to invite
fernsehen
to watch TV
herkommen
to come from
losgehen
to start
mitbringen
to bring along or with
mitkommen
to come along
rausbringen
to bring out
staubsaugen
to vacum
vorhaben
to plan or do something
vorschlagen
to suggest
den Müll rausbringen
to take out the trash
das Zimmer aufräumen
to clean your room
6.6 Separable verbs In this chapter we have encountered verbs such as "umsteigen" ("to change (trains etc.)"), "aussteigen" ("to get out (of a train etc.)"), "einsteigen" ("to get on (trains etc.)") and "ankommen" which are known as separable verbs. ("to arrive")
This is because they can be separated into two parts - a prefix and a main verb. Most prefixes are prepositions (as in all the cases listed above), but they are occasionally adverbs, nouns, or adjectives. Grammar 5: Components of a separable verb
Prefix
+ Verb
= Sep. Verb
ab (from)
+ fahren (to travel)
= abfahren (to depart)
an (at)
+ kommen (to come)
= ankommen (to arrive)
aus (out of)
+ steigen (to climb)
= aussteigen (to get out)
ein (in)
+ steigen (to climb)
= einsteigen (to get in)
um
+ steigen (to climb)
= umsteigen (to change)
Word order in separable verbs If the separable verb is the first (and often only) verb in a sentence or clause, these two elements separate. The main verb - also called the stem - assumes its normal position in the sentence, but the prefix is placed right at the end. Look at the following examples: Grammar 6: Separable verbs in a normal clause
Verb
Clause
abfahren
Wann fährst du ab? ("When do you depart?")
ankommen
Wann kommt der Zug an? ("When does the train arrive?")
aussteigen
Er steigt in München aus. ("He gets out in Munich.")
einsteigen
Bitte steigen Sie ein! ("Please get in!")
umsteigen
Sie steigen hier um. ("You change here.")
But if the separable verb is the second verb in a sentence, it does not split up and behaves just like any other verb. Note too that when a separable verb is the second verb in the sentence, it will always remain in the infinitive form. The separable verb will be the second verb in a sentence when it follows what is known as a modal verb. These verbs will be explained in detail in Chapter 8, but for now you should note that we have already met three of them: "müssen" ("to have to"), "wollen" ("to want") and "mögen" ("to like") - although we have only encountered the latter in the form "ich möchte" ("I would like"). Grammar 7: Separable verbs after a modal verb
Modal verb
Clause
müssen
Wann müssen Sie abfahren? ("When do you have to depart?")
wollen
Wo wollen Sie umsteigen? ("Where do you want to change?")
mögen
Ich möchte jetzt aussteigen. ("I want to get out now.")
Which prefixes are The following common prefixes are always separable when attached to a main verb: Grammar 8: Separable prefixes
ab("away")
an("starting")
auf("up")
aus("out")
bei("joining")
da(r)-
separable?
ein("in")
entgegen("towards")
hin("away")
her("towards")
los("starting")
mit("with")
nach("after")
nieder("down")
vor("ahead")
vorbei("past")
weg("away")
zu("on")
zurück("back")
zusammen("together")
The following prefixes are separable when they precede certain verbs and inseparable when they precede others: Grammar 9: Occasionally separable prefixes
durch("through")
hinter("behind")
über("over")
um("change")
unter("under")
wieder("again")
Don't worry if you can't remember all of these - this will take some time. For the moment you should try to remember which verbs that we encounter during this course are separable and how they should be used. We will always indicate which verbs are separable in our vocabulary lists.
Test You can test yourself on separable verbs by clicking on the two bars below:
yourself!
Chapter 6.7: Places and prepositions
VERB PREFIXES Verbs can have prefixes. There are two types of verb prefixes: separable and inseparable. Often, prefixes change the meaning of the verb. A. INSEPARABLE PREFIXES Inseparable prefixes are not separated from the verb. The important ones are: be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, ver-, zer-. Generally, they do not really have a meaning by themselves, but they change the meaning of the verb they are attached to. They are not stressed in pronunciation. Beispiele
be-
stehen
bestehen
(to stand - to exist)
emp- finden
empfinden
(to find - to feel, sense)
ent-
lassen
entlassen
(to let/allow - to let go, dismiss)
er-
hören
erhören
(to hear/listen - to yield to)
ge-
hören
gehören
(to hear/listen - to belong)
miss- achten
missachten
(to acknowledge/respect - to ignore)
ver-
verraten
(to guess - to betray, give away)
raten
wider- sprechen widersprechen (to speak - to contradict) zer-
stören
zerstören
(to bother, disturb - to destroy)
B. SEPARABLE PREFIXES In a main clause, separable prefixes are separated from the verb and move to the very end. Potentially, there are many seperable prefixes. The most important ones are: ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, ein-, fort-, heim-, her-, hin-, mit-, nach-, nieder-, vor-, weg-, zu-, zurück-, zusammen-. As can be
seen, many are prepositions or adverbs, and have a meaning by themselves. They are stressed in pronunciation. Beispiele
ab-
schreiben abschreiben
(to write - to copy)
an-
kommen ankommen
(to come - to arrive)
auf-
hören
(to listen - to stop/end)
aus-
schalten ausschalten
(to switch - to turn off)
ein-
schlagen einschlagen
(to hit - to smash in)
fort-
fahren
fortfahren
(to drive - to continue, go on)
heim-
gehen
heimgehen
(to go - to go home, return)
her-
geben
hergeben
(to give - to give up)
hin-
werfen
hinwerfen
(to throw - to throw down)
mit-
nehmen
mitnehmen
(to take - to take along)
nach-
geben
nachgeben
(to give - to give in)
nieder-
schlagen niederschlagen
(to beat/hit - to knock down)
vor-
machen
vormachen
(to do/make - to demonstrate)
weg-
laufen
weglaufen
(to run - to run away/flee)
zu-
hören
zuhören
(to listen - to listen closely)
zurück-
geben
zurückgeben
(to give - to return/give back)
zusammen- halten
aufhören
zusammenhalten (to hold - to hold together)
HINT: Because there is only a small and limited number of inseperable prefixes, knowing these and assuming that everythign else is separable should make it easy working with them. (However, see also the note below).
WORD ORDER Beispiele (Präsens)
1. Inseparable [zerstören (to destroy)] a. Main clause: Der Sturm zerstört sein Haus. b. Dependent clause: Er sieht, wie der Sturm sein Haus zerstört. 2. Separable [zurück*gehen [to return, go back)] a. Main clause: Er geht um 8 Uhr zurück. b. Dependent clause: Sie sagte uns, daß er um 8 Uhr zurückgeht. 3. Separable, with modal verb [ab*schreiben (to copy)] a. Main clause: Ihr sollt nicht abschreiben! b. Dependent clause: Wißt ihr, daß ihr nicht abschreiben sollt? 4. Separable, Imperative [ein*schalten (to tswitch on)] Schalt' das Licht ein! 5. Question [mit*kommen (to come along)] Kommst du ins Kino mit? NOTE: Some prefixes are both separable and inseparable (occasionally even with the same verb). In this case, they have different meanings. Beispiel: übersetzen
separable = to ferry across (a river): Er setzte über und ging weiter. = He ferried across (the river) and walked on. inseparable = to translate: Er übersetzte den Satz. = He translated the sentence.
Somewhat related...: Prepositions in English There is a debate concerning the use of a preposition at the end of a sentence. Phrases ending in a preposition can be heard frequently on radio and in television commercials. And then there is the tale of the little boy who was ill and confined to his bed. His mother decided to read to him and carried a book to his bedside. The boy exclaimed, "What did you bring that book that I don't like to be read to out of up for?"
ÜBUNGEN If you cannot enter special characters directly:
* Cut & Paste the appropriate character from here: ß - Ä - ä - Ö - ö - Ü - ü * Or, for the "ß" use the capital letter "B" (or an "sz"), for umlauts use these transcriptions: ä = ae; Ä = AE; ü = ue etc. Praefixe Retain a ¶copy o
Done!
recipient,realnam
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A. Machen Sie Sätze. (Präsens) 1. wir / aufessen / alles 2. ich / auch / mitfahren 3. er / den Brief / empfangen 4. Petra / verkaufen / ihr Haus 5. Rolf / um 8 Uhr / aufstehen 6. Kinder / alles / nachmachen 7. du / den warmen Mantel / anziehen / ? http://class.georg
Separable Verbs I: Draw the line between prefixes and core verbs Posted by Sandra Rösner3 Comments DEC
12010
With this post I would like to start a series on German separable verbs. In this introductory post I explain how you can distinguish separable verbs from inseparable verbs. The main difference between separable and inseparable verbs is that separable verbs consist of two words: a core verb and a semi-prefix , whereas inseparable verbs consist of a core verb and a real prefix . Let’s have a closer look at the some examples in order to explore what I mean by core verb , semi-prefix and real prefix .
Separable verbs The verbs nehmen (to take), laufen (to walk), and geben (to give) are so called core verbs because they form the basis of separable verbs. In order to modify their meanings you can add the following semi-prefixes to them: anaufabThis results in the separable verbs below:
annehmen
(to assume; to accept) aufnehmen (to gather; to host) abnehmen
anlaufen
angeben
(to start; to put into)
(to boast; to state)
auflaufen
aufgeben
(to go aground)
(to give up)
ablaufen
abgeben
(to expire)
(to hand in, to emit)
(to take off, to loose weight)
I should mention that the meaning of each separable verb does highly depend on the context in which it is used, thus, I only give the translations, which I consider most common. I call the prefixes of separable verbs semi-prefixes because these prefixes are indeed independent words in German. That is, they can and do exist as separate words. Consequently, you can isolate them from the core verb when using them in a sentence. These semi-prefixes are always prepositions, adverbs or adjectives. – I will discuss all kinds of semi-prefixes in detail in my following posts. Inseparable verbs In comparison to separable verbs, inseparable verbs have real prefixes . That is, these prefixes canNOT and do NOT exist as independent words in German – because they have no meaning. Consequently, you cannot separate them from the core verb when using them in a sentence. Compare these examples: verbe-
vernehmen
(to question) benehmen
verlaufen
vergeben
(to get lost)
(to allot, to forgive)
sich belaufen
begeben
(to tot up)
(to betake)
(to behave)
Whenever you come across a verb that contains one of the following prefixes, you may be sure that it is an INSEPARABLE verb: be- : bekommen (to get), belügen (to lie to), beraten (to advise) ent- : entgehen (to evade), entstehen (to emerge), entsprechen (to correspond)
er- : erklären (to explain), erhalten (to obtain), erkennen (to realize; to recognize) ge- : gebrauchen (to apply), gehören (to belong), gefallen (tp please, to like) miss- : missachten (disregard), misshandeln (to abuse), misstrauen (to distrust) ver- : verkaufen (to sell), versprechen (to promise; to make a slip of the tongue), versuchen (to try) zer- : zerbrechen (to shatter), zerstören (to destroy), zerschlagen (to dash to pieces)
Inseparable and Separable Verbs with Video
11/05/2011|German Grammar, Learn German Videos|1 Comment|« The German verb sehen – to see|German Vocabulary: Oceania Countries in German »
What is a Separable and Inseparable Verb in German? A separable verb in German is a verb with a German prefix. A prefix is an additional word such as an (on, to, by) or ein (on) which is added to the beginning of a verb to change it’s meaning. For example: anschauen, eingeben, umziehen