Separable and Inseparable Verb Prefixes There are three kinds of verb prefixes in German: (1) separable (trennbar),

Separable prefixes are stressed (betont) in their pronunciation; (2) inseparable (untrennbar), inseparable prefixes are unstressed (unbetont). (3) dual prefixes (usually a preposition) that can be both Part 1: Inseparable Prefixes

Inseparable Prefixes Untrennbare Prfixe

Prefix be-

Meaning like English bemakes verb take a direct object (acc.) s. befinden (be located) befolgen (follow) befreunden (befriend) begegnen (meet) bekommen (get) bemerken (notice, remark) empfangen (receive) empfehlen (recommend) empfinden (feel)

Examples

emp-

sense, receive

ent-

away from English de-/dis-

entarten (degenerate) 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) erhngen (hang, execute) erschiessen (shoot dead) ertrinken (drown) s. erinnern (remember) erkennen (recognize) erholen (recover, relax) gebrauchen (use, make use of) gedenken (commemorate, intend) gefallen (like) gehren (belong to) gelangen (arrive at) geloben (vow) genesen (recover, recuperate) gestalten (shape, form) gestehen (confess) gewhren (grant, give, offer) missachten (disregard, disdain) missbrauchen (abuse, misuse) misstrauen (mistrust)

er-

fatal, dead

like English re-

ge-

--

miss-

English mis-

missverstehen (misunderstand) verbad, awry English misverachten (despise) verbilden (miseducate) verderben (go bad, spoil) s. verfahren (go astray, get lost) verkommen (go to ruin, become run down) verschlafen (oversleep) verdrngen (drive out) verduften (lose its aroma) verlassen (leave, abandon) verlieren (lose) verbieten (forbid) vergeben (forgive) vergessen (forget) verbinden (bandage, link, tie) vergrern (enlarge) verhaften (arrest) versprechen (promise) vollenden (complete, finish) vollfhren (execute, perform) vollstrecken (enforce, execute)

lose, away/out

English for-

???

voll-*

full, complete

*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 drhnen (dope/tank up), voll essen (gorge oneself), voll machen (fill [up]). zercollapse, shatter, shred zerbrechen (shatter) zerreissen (rip up, shred) zerstren (destroy)

NOTE: Inseparable-prefix verbs do not add the normal past participle prefix ge- in the perfect tenses.

Part 2: Separable Verb Prefixes

Separable Prefixes Trennbare Prfixe

Prefix ab-

Meaning from

Examples 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]) anbauen (cultivate, grow, plant) anbringen (fasten, install, display) anfangen (begin, start) anhngen (attach) ankommen (arrive) anschauen (look at, examine)

an-

at, to

auf-

on, out, up, aufbauen (build up, put up, add on) unaufdrehen (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]) beibringen (teach; inflict) beikommen (get hold of, deal with) beischlafen (have sexual relations with) beisetzen (bury, inter) beitragen (contribute [to]) beitreten (join) durchhalten (withstand, endure; hold out) durchfahren (drive through)

bei-

along, with

durch-*

through

*The prefix durch- is usually separable, but it can also be inseparable. einin, 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, fortbilden (continue education) onward fortbringen (take away [for repair], post) fortpflanzen (propagate, reproduce; be transmitted) fortsetzen (continue) forttreiben (drive away) along, with, mitarbeiten (cooperate, collaborate) comitbestimmen (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) after, copy, renachahmen (imitate, emulate, copy) nachbessern (retouch) nachdrucken (reprint) nachfllen (refill, top up/off) nachgehen (follow, go after; run slow [clock]) nachlassen (slacken, loosen) 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) 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)

mit-

nach-

vor-

before, forward, pre-, pro-

weg-

away, off

zu-

shut/closed, zubringen (bring/take to) to, towards, zudecken (cover up, tuck in) upon zuerkennen (bestow, confer [on]) zufahren (drive/ride towards) zufassen (make a grab for) zulassen (authorize, license) zunehmen (increase, gain, add weight) back, rezurckblenden (flash back [to])

zurck-

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

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

dadabeidaranempor-

there there on/to it up, upward, over against, towards along awry, wrong

dableiben (stay behind) dalassen (leave there) dabeibleiben (stay/stick with it) dabeisitzen (sit in on) darangeben (sacrifice) daranmachen (set about it, get down to it) emporarbeiten (work one's way up) emporblicken (raise one's eyes up, look up) emporragen (tower, rise above/over) entgegenarbeiten (oppose, work against) entgegenkommen (approach, come towards) entlanggehen (go/walk along) entlangschrammen (scrape by) fehlgehen (go astray, err) fehlschlagen (go wrong, come to nothing)

entgegenentlangfehlfest-

firm, fixed festlaufen (run aground) festlegen (establish, fix) festsitzen (be stuck, cling) across from, opposite, conequal gegenberliegen (face, be opposite) gegenberstellen (confront, compare)

gegenber-

gleichherheraufheraushin-

gleichkommen (equal, match) gleichsetzen (equate, treat as equivalent)

from, here herfahren (come/get here) herstellen (manufacture, produce; establish) up from, out of from, out of to, towards, there away, over heraufarbeiten (work one's way up) heraufbeschwren (evoke, give rise to) herauskriegen (get out of, find out) herausfordern (challenge, provoke) hinarbeiten (work towards) hinfahren (go/drive there) hinweggehen (disregard, pass over) hinwegkommen (dismiss, get over)

hinweg-

hinzulosstattzusammen-

in addition hinbekommen (get in addition) hinzufgen (add, enclose) away, start -together, to pieces losbellen (start barking) losfahren (set/drive off) stattfinden (take place, be held [event]) stattgeben (grant) zusammenarbeiten (co-operate, collaborate) zusammengeben (mix [ingredients]) zusammenhauen (smash to pieces) zusammenheften (staple together) zusammenkrachen (crash [down]) zusammenreien (pull oneself together) zwischenblenden (blend in; insert [film, music]) zwischenlanden (stop over [flying])

zwischen-

between

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