German Verb Prefixes

Part 2: Separable 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.

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-, statt-, etc.), see Separable Prefixes 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- 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)
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- 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'.
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)
durch-* through durchhalten (withstand, endure; hold out)
durchfahren (drive through)
*The prefix durch- is usually separable, but it can also be inseparable. See Dual Prefixes.
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)
nachfüllen (refill, top up/off)
nachgehen (follow, go after; run slow [clock])
nachlassen (slacken, loosen)
vor- before, forward, pre-, vorbereiten (prepare)
pro- vorbeugen (prevent; bend forward)
vorbringen (propose, bring up; bring forward, produce)
vorführen (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)
zu- shut/closed, to, zubringen (bring/take to)
towards, 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)
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- 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-, as in zurückgegangen
(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: Heute ruft er seine Freundin an. = Today he's calling his girlfriend (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 form their past participle with ge-. Examples: Sie hat gestern
angerufen, She called/telephoned yesterday. Er war schon 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 Meaning Examples

be- like English be- s. befinden (be located)
befolgen (follow)
makes verb take a befreunden (befriend)
direct object (acc.) begegnen (meet)
bekommen (get)
bemerken (notice, remark)
emp- sense, receive empfangen (receive)
empfehlen (recommend)
empfinden (feel)
ent- away from entarten (degenerate)
 entbehren (miss, do without)
English de-/dis- 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)
er- fatal, dead erhängen (hang, execute)
erschiessen (shoot dead)
ertrinken (drown)
like English re- s. erinnern (remember)
erkennen (recognize)
erholen (recover, relax)
ge- -- 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 verachten (despise)
English mis- 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)
voll-* full, complete vollenden (complete, finish)
vollführen (execute, perform)
vollstrecken (enforce, execute)
*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 infinitive 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 almost
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 infinitive 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:

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Sample Sentences
with the separable-prefix verb
anfangen, to begin, start
DEUTSCH ENGLISH
PresentTense
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

weiterkommen 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
be-

besuchen to visit/attend

empfehlen to recommend
emp-

empfinden to feel

entlassen to discharge/fire
ent-

entscheiden to decide/determine

erfinden to invent/make-up
er-

erwarten to expect/anticipate

gehorchen to obey
ge-

gestatten to permit/allow

missachtest to disobey/disregard
miss-

misstrauen to mistrust/suspect

vergessen to forget
ver-

verstehen to understand

zerstören to destroy
zer-

zerkratzen to scratch

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 separable prefix.

The table below shows the most common ones along with some examples:

Separable Prefixes

Prefix Example Verb Meaning

ankommen to arrive
an-

anrufen to phone somebody

aufstehen to wake up

auf-

aufhören to stop/cease

ausgehen to go out
aus-

aussprechen to pronounce

beibringen to teach
bei-

beitragen to add/contribute

einkaufen to go shopping
ein-

einladen to invite

fortfahren to continue/proceed
fort-

fortgehen to go away

mit- mitgehen to go along

 mitarbeiten to collaborate

nachahmen to imitate/copy
nach-

nacharbeiten to rework/revise

vorstellen to present/introduce
vor-

vorbereiten to prepare/set up

wegfahren to drive away

weg-

weglaufen to run away

zuhören to listen
zu-

zunehmen to increase/grow

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 supermarket

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 is an inseparable one.

A few examples are shown in the next table:

Prefixes that can be Separable or Inseparable

Prefix Separable Verb Inseparable Verb

durch- durchfallen durchdringen

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 Morgen besuche ich meine Eltern. Morgen kaufe ich ein.
TENSE: Sie erfährt das Stadtleben. Der Film fängt um 19.15 Uhr an.
Er unterschreibt den Brief. Wir nehmen immer daran teil.

SIMPLE PAST Gestern besuchte ich meine Eltern. Gestern kaufte ich ein.
TENSE: Sie erfuhr das Stadtleben. Der Film fing um 19.15 Uhr an.
Er unterschrieb den Brief. 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-.

Inseparable prefix verbs Separable prefix verbs

PERFECT Gestern habe ich sie besucht. Gestern habe ich eingekauft.
TENSE: Sie hat das Stadtleben erfahren. Der Film hat schon angefangen.
Er hat den Brief unterschrieben. 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..

Inseparable prefix verbs Separable prefix verbs

INFINITIVE Ich habe vor, meine Eltern zubesuchen. Anstatt heute einzukaufen, bleibe ich zu Hause.
CLAUSE: Um den Brief zu unterschreiben, brauche ich Wir haben keine Lust, an der Sache
einen Stift. 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? Wo wirst du morgen einkaufen?
Er wird den Brief unterschreiben. Wir wollen immer daran teilnehmen.

Dependent Ich sage, dass ich Peter besuche. Er fragte, ob ich morgen einkaufe.
clauses Als er den Brief unterschrieb, klingelte das Wenn du daran teilnimmst, lernst du viel.
Telefon.

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 Meaning Examples

be- 1) Makes intransitive verbs or verbs with zaubern - to do magic | bezaubern - to enchant
prepositional objects transitive, or shifts Ich beantworte die Frage. (Ich antworte auf die Frage.)
the action to a different object. Er beschenkt Sie. ( Er schenkt Ihnen etwas.)

2) Added to nouns to create verbs with die Nachricht message | benachrichtigento notify
the idea of providing something. (Often - die Waffe weapon | bewaffnento arm
ig- is added.)

3) Added to adjectives to create verbs ruhig quiet, still | beruhigento calm

with the idea of bestowing that quality. taub numb | betäubento numb, drug
(Often -ig- is added.) 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 fliehen to flee | entfliehento escape, flee (from)
escaping or moving away. kommen to come | entkommento escape, come away (from)

2) Creates verbs from nouns, adjectives, or laden to load | entladento unload

verbs. Indicates the removal of something. 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 begin with ent-.

emp- A variation of ent- that is used before fehlen to be lacking | empfehlento recommend
some verb roots beginning with f. finden to find | empfindento perceive, sense

er- 1) Creates verbs from nouns or other finden to find | erfindento invent
verbs. Conveys the conclusion or end lernen to learn | erlernento learn, acquire
achievement of an action. trinken to drink | ertrinkento drown

2) Creates verbs from adjectives. Conveys ganz whole | ergänzento complete

the idea of becoming something or giving niedrig low | erniedrigento humiliate
something a quality. Often adds an umlaut neu new | erneuernto renew, revive
to the root, where possible.

Note: Approximately 10% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with er-.

ge- ge- is rare as a verb prefix. It carries no fallen to fall | gefallento be pleasing
distinct meaning. In many instances, the --- | geschehen to occur
root verb is linguistically extinct. --- | gelingen to succeed

miss- Like the English prefix mis-, the German -- | misslingento fail
miss- indicates failure. It creates a verb fallen to fall | missfallento displease
that stands as a negative opposite to its billigen to approve | missbilligento disapprove
positive or neutral root. handeln to act | misshandelnto maltreat, abuse

ver- 1) Added to verbs to express idea of brennen to burn | verbrennenburn (to ashes, to death), scorch
completion, waning, or going away. hungern to be hungry | verhungernto starve
geben to give | vergebento give away
jagen to hunt | verjagento chase away
 2) Added to verbs to express the idea of lernen to learn | verlernento unlearn, forget
doing something to excess or wrongly, or führen to lead | verführento seduce
to convey the opposite meaning from its achten to esteem | verachtento despise
root. bergen to salvage | verbergento conceal, hide

3) Creates verbs from adjectives or nouns
that convey the idea of becoming
something or giving something a quality.
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 das Silber silver | versilbernto silver plate
idea of providing something. der Körper body | verkörpernto embody

Note: Approximately 45% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with ver-.

zer- Creates verbs from nouns, adjectives, or das Glied member, limb | zergliedernto dismember
other verbs to indicate destruction, klein small | zerkleinernto reduce to small bits
usually "into pieces". 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, are
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 Meaning Examples

ab- Conveys "away", "down", "off", with the fliegen to fly | abfliegen to depart (of airplane)
idea of finishing or completing an action nehmen to take | abnehmen to take down/off

an- Conveys "at", "on", or the idea of starting lächeln to smile | anlächelnto smile at
an action or doing something partially. schauen to look | anschauento look at
probieren to try | anprobierento try on
tasten to touch | antastento touch on
trinken to drink | antrinkento start drinking

auf- Conveys "up" or the idea of a sudden klären- to clarify | aufklärento clear up
start essen to eat | aufessento eat up
munter lively | aufmunternto liven up
brechen to break | aufbrechento break open, to set out (on a trip)

aus- Conveys "out" with the idea of gleichen to equal | ausgleichento even out
completing an action rufen to call | ausrufento cry out
radieren to erase | ausradierento erase (completely)

ein- Derived from the preposition "in". atmen to breathe | einatmento inhale
Conveys "in" or the idea of getting used leiten to lead | einleitento introduce
to something spielen to play | einspielento warm up

los- Conveys "away" or the idea of beginning fahren to drive | losfahrento set out (on a trip)
something reißen to rip | losreißento tear away
werden to become | loswerdento get rid of

mit- Conveys "along", "away", or the idea of nehmen to take | mitnehmento take along
accompanying or cooperating singen to sing | mitsingen to join in singing
machen to do | mitmachento participate

vor- Conveys the idea of demonstrating, going schreiben to write | vorschreibento stipulate
forward, or preceding singen to sing | vorsingento sing to
wärmen to warm | vorwärmento preheat
 weg- Conveys "away" schicken to send | wegschickento send away
führen to lead | wegführen to lead away

zurück- Conveys "back", the idea of returning denken to think | zurückdenkento think back
reisen to travel | zurückreisento travel back

zusammen- Conveys "up" or "together", the idea of schrumpfen to shrink | zusammenschrumpfento shrivel up
reducing to a focal point 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 are 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 Separable prefix verbs

durch- 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.

über- About 75% of verbs with the über- prefix are inseparable. Usually combined with transitive verbs,
indicates 'over', 'up', or movement over a boundary.

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.

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- 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.

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.

wider- 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"
("to arrive") which are known as separable verbs.
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 + fahren = abfahren
(from) (to travel) (to depart)

an + kommen = ankommen
(at) (to come) (to arrive)

aus + steigen = aussteigen

(out of) (to climb) (to get out)

ein + steigen = einsteigen

(in) (to climb) (to get in)

um + steigen = umsteigen
(to climb) (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 separable?

The following common prefixes are always separable when attached to a main verb:

Grammar 8: Separable prefixes

ab- an- auf-

("away") ("starting") ("up")

aus- bei- da(r)-

("out") ("joining")
 ein- entgegen- hin-
("in") ("towards") ("away")

her- los- mit-

("towards") ("starting") ("with")

nach- nieder- vor-

("after") ("down") ("ahead")

vorbei- weg- zu-

("past") ("away") ("on")

zurück- zusammen-
("back") ("together")

The following prefixes are separable when they precede certain verbs and inseparable when they
precede others:

Grammar 9: Occasionally separable prefixes

durch- hinter- über-

("through") ("behind") ("over")

um- unter- wieder-

("change") ("under") ("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 yourself!
You can test yourself on separable verbs by clicking on the two bars below:
 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- raten verraten (to guess - to betray, give away)

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 aufhören (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 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 Done! recipient,realnam 1 #ffffc0 grammar.htm

Retain a ¶copy of
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:

an-

auf-

ab-

This results in the separable verbs below:

anlaufen angeben

annehmen (to start; to put into) (to boast; to state)

auflaufen aufgeben
(to assume; to accept)
(to go aground) (to give up)
aufnehmen
ablaufen abgeben
(to gather; to host)
(to expire) (to hand in, to emit)
abnehmen
(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:

ver-

be-

verlaufen vergeben

vernehmen (to get lost) (to allot, to forgive)

sich belaufen begeben

(to question)
(to tot up) (to betake)
benehmen

(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

 An inseparable verb follows the same pattern then the separable verb. Only certain prefixes make
the verb inseparable.

For example: behalten, entdecken, vergessen

The different prefixes:

There are many words that can be added to a verb to change its meaning and result in a German
separable or inseparable
verb.

The separable prefixes are:

ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, bei-, durch-, ein-, los-, mit-, nach-, her-, hin-, um-, vor-, weg-, zu-, zurück-

The inseparable prefixes are:

be-, ent-, er-, ge-, hinter-, miss-, über-, ver-, zer-