Separable Prefixes

Trennbare Prfixe
Prefix

Meaning

Examples

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-

at, to

anbauen (cultivate, grow, plant)

anbringen (fasten, install, display)
anfangen (begin, start)
anhngen (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])
aufschlieen (unlock; develop [land])

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])

bei-

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)

durch-*

*The prefix durch- is usually separable, but it can also be inseparable.

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-

away, forth, onward

fortbilden (continue education)

fortbringen (take away [for repair], post)
fortpflanzen (propagate, reproduce; be transmitted)
fortsetzen (continue)
forttreiben (drive away)

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-

after, copy, re-

nachahmen (imitate, emulate, copy)

nachbessern (retouch)
nachdrucken (reprint)
nachfllen (refill, top up/off)
nachgehen (follow, go after; run slow [clock])
nachlassen (slacken, loosen)

vor-

before, forward, pre-,

pro-

vorbereiten (prepare)
vorbeugen (prevent; bend forward)
vorbringen (propose, bring up; bring forward, produce)
vorfhren (present, perform)
vorgehen (proceed, go on, go first)
vorlegen (present, submit)

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)

shut/closed, to, towards, zubringen (bring/take to)

upon
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)

zu-

zurck-

back, re-

zurckblenden (flash back [to])

zurckgehen (go back, return)
zurckschlagen (hit/strike back)
zurckschrecken (shrink back/from, recoil, shy away)
zurcksetzen (reverse, mark down, put back)
zurckweisen (refuse, repulse, turn back/away)

zusammen- together

zusammenbauen (assemble)
zusammenfassen (summarize)
zusammenklappen (fold up, shut)
zusammenkommen (meet, come together)
zusammensetzen (seat/put together)
zusammenstoen (collide, clash)

Less Common, but Still Useful, Separable Verbs

Above, are listed the most common separable prefixes in German. For many other,
less frequently used separable prefixes, see the chart below. While some of the
separable prefixes below, such as fehl- or statt-, are used in only two or three
German verbs, they often turn out to be important, useful verbs that one should know.
Less Common Separable Prefixes
Trennbare Prfixe 2
Prefix

Meaning

Examples

da-

there

dableiben (stay behind)

dalassen (leave there)

dabei-

there

dabeibleiben (stay/stick with it)

dabeisitzen (sit in on)

daran-

on/to it

darangeben (sacrifice)
daranmachen (set about it, get down to it)

empor-

up, upward, over

emporarbeiten (work one's way up)

emporblicken (raise one's eyes up, look up)

emporragen (tower, rise above/over)
against, towards

entgegenarbeiten (oppose, work against)

entgegenkommen (approach, come towards)

along

entlanggehen (go/walk along)

entlangschrammen (scrape by)

fehl-

awry, wrong

fehlgehen (go astray, err)

fehlschlagen (go wrong, come to nothing)

fest-

firm, fixed

festlaufen (run aground)

festlegen (establish, fix)
festsitzen (be stuck, cling)

entgegenentlang-

gegenber- across from, opposite,

con-

gegenberliegen (face, be opposite)

gegenberstellen (confront, compare)

equal

gleichkommen (equal, match)

gleichsetzen (equate, treat as equivalent)

from, here

herfahren (come/get here)

herstellen (manufacture, produce; establish)

herauf-

up from, out of

heraufarbeiten (work one's way up)

heraufbeschwren (evoke, give rise to)

heraus-

from, out of

herauskriegen (get out of, find out)

herausfordern (challenge, provoke)

to, towards, there

hinarbeiten (work towards)

hinfahren (go/drive there)

hinweg-

away, over

hinweggehen (disregard, pass over)

hinwegkommen (dismiss, get over)

hinzu-

in addition

hinbekommen (get in addition)

hinzufgen (add, enclose)

los-

away, start

losbellen (start barking)

losfahren (set/drive off)

--

stattfinden (take place, be held [event])

stattgeben (grant)

gleichher-

hin-

statt-

zusammen- together, to pieces

zusammenarbeiten (co-operate, collaborate)

zusammengeben (mix [ingredients])

zusammenhauen (smash to pieces)
zusammenheften (staple together)
zusammenkrachen (crash [down])
zusammenreien (pull oneself together)
zwischen-

between

zwischenblenden (blend in; insert [film, music])

zwischenlanden (stop over [flying])

NOTE: All of the separable verbs form their past participle with ge-, as
in zurckgegangen (zurckgehen).