Verbs

Separable and inseparable verbs

Trennbare und nicht trennbare Verben

Separable verbs have a prefix which can be separated from the verb stem. The prefix's position depends on the tense and sentence structure.

Inseparable verbs have a prefix which always remains together with the verb stem.

Examples of sentences with (in)separable verbs

  • Translation
  • The train leaves at eight.
  • Explanation
  • ab|fahren - to depart; to leave
  • The prefix ab is separated from the verb stem fahren and is placed at the end of the sentence. The verb stem fahren is conjugated for person (in this case it is the third person singular).
  • Translation
  • I don't understand that.
  • Explanation
  • verstehen - to understand
  • The prefix ver is not separated from the verb's base stehen.

Groups of verbs with examples

Prefixes of the separable verbs
ab
  • Translation
  • The train leaves at eight.
  • Explanation
  • ab|fahren - to depart; to leave
  • Translation
  • It depends on you
  • Explanation
  • ab|hängen von +Dativ - to depend on
an
  • Translation
  • The train arrives at nine.
  • Explanation
  • an|kommen - to arrive / to reach destination
  • Translation
  • We sign up for a language course.
  • Explanation
  • sich an|melden für +Akkusativ - to sign up for
auf
  • Translation
  • I always get up early.
  • Explanation
  • auf|stehen - to stand up / to get up
  • Translation
  • The same error occurs all the time.
  • Explanation
  • auf|treten - to occur / to appear
aus
  • Translation
  • Ewa is turning off the light.
  • Explanation
  • aus|schalten - to turn off
  • Translation
  • You look good.
  • Explanation
  • aus|sehen - to look (to have appearance)
bei
  • Translation
  • This helps to (literally: contributes to) improve the situation.
  • Explanation
  • bei|tragen [zu +Dativ] - to contribute (to sth)
  • Translation
  • I'll teach you this.
  • Explanation
  • etw jmd +Dativ bei|bringen - to teach sb sth
ein
  • Translation
  • Ewa is turning on the light.
  • Explanation
  • ein|schalten - to switch on
  • Translation
  • I always shop online.
  • Explanation
  • ein|kaufen - to shop
her
  • Translation
  • The company manufactures cars.
  • Explanation
  • her|stellen - to manufacture / to produce
heraus
  • Translation
  • It turned out that the company has no money.
  • Explanation
  • sich heraus|stellen (, dass ...) - to turn out (that ...)
  • Translation
  • I'll find out.
  • Explanation
  • heraus|finden - to find out
hin
  • Translation
  • What is this arrow pointing to?
  • Explanation
  • hin|weisen (auf) - to point to sth
  • Translation
  • Please sit down.
  • Explanation
  • sich hin|setzen - to sit down
los
  • Translation
  • I got rid of the cigarette smell.
  • Explanation
  • los|werden (wurde los, losgeworden [+sein]) - to get rid of sth
  • Translation
  • Now it really starts.
  • Explanation
  • los|gehen - to start / to go off
mit
  • Translation
  • I am taking my dog with me.
  • Explanation
  • mit|nehmen - to take sth with oneself
  • Translation
  • Are you coming with me?
  • Explanation
  • mit|kommen - to go with someone (or something) / to accompany
nach
  • Translation
  • I am looking up this word in the dictionary.
  • Explanation
  • nach|schlagen - to look up
  • Translation
  • The bad weather conditions recede.
  • Explanation
  • nach|lassen - to recede / to slacken / to decrease
vor
  • Translation
  • How do you imagine it?
  • Explanation
  • sich [+Dativ] vor|stellen - to imagine sth
  • sich [+Akkusativ] vor|stellen can also mean: to introduce oneself (in that case it uses Akkusativ) e.g. Ich stelle mich als Herr Müller vor. (I introduce myself as Mr. Müller.)
  • Translation
  • What do you suggest?
  • Explanation
  • etw vor|schlagen - to suggest sth (or to propose)
weg
  • Translation
  • Every day I throw out the trash.
  • Explanation
  • weg|werfen - to throw away
  • Translation
  • Go away!
  • Explanation
  • weg|gehen - to go away
zu
  • Translation
  • I admit you were right that it was my mistake.
  • Explanation
  • zu|stimmen [+Dativ] - to agree with sb / to share sb's opinion / to say sb is right
  • Translation
  • Listen to me carefully
  • Explanation
  • etw/jdm +Dativ zu|hören - to listen to sth/sb
zurück
  • Translation
  • I returned these shoes.
  • Explanation
  • zurück|geben - to return sth
  • Translation
  • I'll be right back.
  • Explanation
  • zurück|kommen - to come back
Prefixes of the inseparable verbs
be
  • Translation
  • She got a present.
  • Explanation
  • bekommen - to receive
  • The prefix be- is inseparable.
emp
  • Translation
  • The cook recommends pasta dishes.
  • Explanation
  • empfehlen - to recommend
  • The prefix emp- is inseparable.
ent
  • Translation
  • I decide about the future of this company.
  • Explanation
  • entscheiden - to decide
  • The prefix ent- is inseparable.
er
  • Translation
  • Johannes Gutenberg invented print.
  • Explanation
  • erfinden (erfand - erfunden) - to invent
  • The prefix er- is inseparable.
miss
  • Translation
  • I misunderstood the seller (or clerk/shop assistant).
  • Explanation
  • missverstehen (missverstand - missverstanden) - to misunderstand
  • The prefix miss- is inseparable.
ver
  • Translation
  • He is postponing his birthday party by a week.
  • Explanation
  • verschieben (verschob - verschoben) - to move (an item, e.g. a piece of furniture, date, event) / to postpone (event, appointment)
  • The prefix ver- is inseparable.
zer
  • Translation
  • The weather spoiled our plans
  • Explanation
  • zerstören - to destroy
  • The prefix zer- is inseparable.
Prefixes of the verbs that have both an inseparable and separable form
durch
  • Translation
  • The police searched the company's headquarters.
  • Explanation
  • durchsuchen - to search (e.g. a builiding or a person for sth suspicious)
  • The prefix durch- is inseparable in this case.
  • Translation
  • The rats bit the cable.
  • Explanation
  • durch|beißen (biss durch - durchgebissen) - to bite through
  • The prefix durch- is separable in this case.
hinter
  • Translation
  • He left a message.
  • Explanation
  • hinterlassen - to leave behind
  • The prefix hinter- is inseparable.
  • Translation
  • The company avoided paying taxes.
  • Explanation
  • hinter|ziehen - to avoid/evade (e.g. paying taxes)
  • The prefix hinter- is separable.
um
  • Translation
  • The fence surrounds the pasture.
  • Explanation
  • Verb: umgeben - to surround
  • The prefix um- is inseparable.
  • Translation
  • I am moving to Berlin in March.
  • Explanation
  • um|ziehen - to move out
  • The prefix um- is separable.
  • The verb um|ziehen can also be used with the reflexive pronoun in the form of the verb: sich um|ziehen and then it has the meaning "to dress up". For example, Ich ziehe mich zu dem Abendessen um. (I am getting dressed for dinner.)
unter
  • Translation
  • The candidate is signing an employment contract.
  • Explanation
  • unterschreiben - to sign
  • The prefix unter- is inseparable in this case.
  • Translation
  • In winter, the sun sets much earlier.
  • Explanation
  • unter|gehen - to sink / to go down
  • The prefix unter- is separable in this case.
über
  • Translation
  • I am translating this text into German.
  • Explanation
  • übersetzen - to translate
  • The prefix über- is inseparable.
  • Translation
  • The ferry is carrying passengers to the island.
  • Explanation
  • über|fahren (fuhr über - übergefahren [+sein]) - to cross (e.g. a river) / to cross over
  • The prefix über- is separable.