German Verb Prefixes

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.

Separable Prefixes 1
Trennbare Prfixe 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)
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])

See The 10 Meanings of the German Verb 'ausmachen'.

bei-

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- 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)
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,

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)

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)

zu-

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

Separable Prefixes 2
In Part 1 we 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.
Separable Prefixes 2
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)

entgegen-

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)

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)

together, to pieces

zusammenarbeiten (co-operate, collaborate)

zusammengeben (mix [ingredients])
zusammenhauen (smash to pieces)
zusammenheften (staple together)
zusammenkrachen (crash [down])
zusammenreien (pull oneself together)

between

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

zwischenlanden (stop over [flying])

entlang-

gegenbergleichher-

hin-

stattzusammen-

zwischen-

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

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.

Inseparable Prefixes
Untrennbare Prfixe
Prefix
be-

Meaning
like English bemakes verb take a direct
object (acc.)

Examples
s. befinden (be located)
befolgen (follow)
befreunden (befriend)
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)
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)

English de-/dis-

er-

fatal, dead

erhngen (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)
gehren (belong to)
gelangen (arrive at)
geloben (vow)
genesen (recover, recuperate)
gestalten (shape, form)
gestehen (confess)
gewhren (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

verdrngen (drive out)

verduften (lose its aroma)
verlassen (leave, abandon)

ge-

verlieren (lose)

voll-*

English for-

verbieten (forbid)
vergeben (forgive)
vergessen (forget)

???

verbinden (bandage, link, tie)

vergrern (enlarge)
verhaften (arrest)
versprechen (promise)

full, complete

vollenden (complete, finish)

vollfhren (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 drhnen (dope/tank up),
voll essen (gorge oneself), voll machen (fill [up]).
zer-

collapse, 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. See the
examples below.

Part 3: Dual Prefixes

Verbalprfixe - Vorsilben bei Zeitwrtern
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 .
Dual or Variable Prefixes
Separable/Inseparable Prefixes
(Can be either one or the other)
Prefix

Meaning

Examples

durch-

through

durchdringen (sep., penetrate)

durchfahren (sep., drive through)
durchfressen (insep., eat through [acid, rust, etc.])

hinter-

behind

hinterlassen (insep., leave; bequeath)

hinterlassen (sep., allow s.o. to go behind)

over, across

berfahren (insep., run over)

berfahren (sep., ferry across, cross over)
berfallen (insep., attack, hold up [a bank])
bersetzen (insep., translate)
bersetzen (sep., ferry across)
berwinden (insep., overcome)

around

umarmen (insep., embrace, hug)

umbauen (sep., renovate, convert)
umbauen (insep., enclose, surround)
umbinden (sep., tie on)
umkehren (sep., turn back, turn inside out)
umschreiben (sep., rewrite, transcribe)
umschreiben (insep., paraphrase, outline; skate around [fig.])
umziehen (sep., move [to new residence], change [clothes])

unter-

down

unterbrechen (insep., interrupt, disconnect)

unterbringen (sep., accomodate)
unterdrcken (insep., oppress, repress, suppress)
untergehen (sep., sink, perish)
unternehmen (insep., do, undertake)
unterwerfen (insep., conquer, subjugate)
unterzeichnen (insep., sign [a document])

wider-

against, re-

widerklingen (sep., resound)

widerlegen (insep., refute, disprove)

ber-

um-

widerraten (insep., advise/counsel against)

widersprechen (insep., contradict)
widertnen (sep., echo)
wieder-

again

wiedergeben (insep., restore, give back; recite, perform; represent, reproduce,

convey)
wiederkehren (sep., return, repeat, recur)
wiedersehen (sep., see/meet again)

Note: All of the dual verb prefixes are stressed when separable, unstressed when inseparable: bersetzen (ferry
across) vs. bersetzen (translate).

Separable Prefix Verbs

Verb

Deutsch
English
Present

anfangen

Wann fangen wir an?

When do we begin?

anfangen

Wann fngt sie an?

When does she begin?

einatmen

Bitte atmen Sie tief ein.

Please take a deep breath.
Pres.

Tense

Perfect

Tense

NOTE: Separable-prefix verbs use the normal past participle prefix ge- in the perfect tenses. See the examples below.

anfangen

Wann haben sie angefangen?

When did they begin?
Past

anfangen

Perfect

Tense

Wann hatten Sie angefangen?

When had you begun?
Past

anfangen

Wann fingen wir an?

When did we begin?

anfangen

Wann fing sie an?

When did she begin?
With

Tense

Modals

anfangen

Knnen wir heute anfangen?

Can we begin today?

anfangen

Ich muss jetzt anfangen.

I have to begin now.
Inseparable Prefix Verbs

Verb

Deutsch
English
Present

versprechen

Ich verspreche nichts.

I'm not promising anything.

versprechen

Was versprichst du mir?

What are you promising me?
Pres.

Tense

Perfect

Tense

NOTE: Inseparable-prefix verbs do not use the normal past participle prefix ge- in the perfect tenses. See the examples below.

versprechen

Was hast du mir versprochen?

What did you promise me?

Verb Prefixes and Spelling Reform

In the matter of German capitalization (Gro/klein) and the spelling of compound words and separable-prefix
verbs, neither the old nor the new German spelling is simple. The old system was not very consistent: Auto fahren
but radfahren, Schlange stehen but kopfstehen. The 1901 rules, those in effect until the recent reforms, did not
even mention the matter. The spelling of compound words just evolved over time, and many German-speakers
never spelled (and still don't spell) such German words correctly anyway.
But the new system (Rechtschreibreform), first introduced in 1996, has not really simplified matters that much.
Although in general it reflects a trend towards spelling separation (Rad fahren), the new spelling has also joined
word elements that were formerly separate! The new rules, for example, call for stattdessen rather than the old
statt dessen, and also reverses the capitalization of some common expressions: zurzeit instead of zur Zeit (but
both are used).
In the area of verbs, the new spelling rules are a bit more consistent. Below is a chart showing the old and new
spellings for a selection of German verbs.
Separable Verb-Prefix Spelling
OLD

NEW

Example

Auto fahren

Auto fahren

Kann er Auto fahren?

Can he drive a car?

fallenlassen

fallen lassen

Er hat die Tasse fallen lassen.

He dropped the cup.

glattrasieren

glatt rasieren

Er ist glatt rasiert.

He is smooth shaven.

kennenlernen

kennen lernen

Wann hast du ihn kennen gelernt?

When did you get to know him?

kennenlernen

kennenlernen*

Wann hast du ihn kennengelernt?*

When did you get to know him?

*Note: The revised 2006 spelling reforms made this the preferred spelling.
leichtmachen

leicht machen

Wir haben uns das leicht gemacht.

We made it easy on ourselves.

maschineschreiben

Maschine schreiben

radfahren

Rad fahren

staubsaugen

Staub saugen

Hast du schon Staub gesaugt?

Have you vacuumed already?

tiefbewegen

tief bewegen

Er war tief bewegt.

He was deeply moved.

Sie kann sehr schnell Maschine

schreiben.
She can type very fast.
Kannst du Rad fahren?
Can you ride a bike?

Prefix Exceptions
RULE: Some verb prefixes can have more than one meaning. (Note: The subtleties of these distinctions are often
lost on even highly educated German-speakers, so I would not fret over these exceptions too much.) One way of
explaining the difference is this: If the adjective/adverb prefix can be compared (good, better) in the meaning used,
the prefix is separated. Example: platt machen = to roll/press flat (can be "flatter") versus plattmachen = to go
bankrupt (can't be "more bankrupt").
In some cases these exceptions involve an adverb that is not used so much as a prefix but more as an adverb:
wieder whlen = to vote again, have another election, versus wiederwhlen = to re-elect.
Exceptions - Ausnahmen
Past Participle Examples
SEPARATE

TOGETHER

bereitinfinitive/past participle not separated

bereitgehalten
had/held ready

gro geschrieben

grogeschrieben

gave importance to

capitalized

kalt gemacht
made cold

kaltgemacht
killed, knocked off

platt gemacht
rolled flat

plattgemacht
bankrupted

schlecht gemacht
done poorly

schlechtgemacht
criticized, was critical of

wieder gewhlt
voted again

wiedergewhlt
re-elected