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9. Separable verbs

Separable verbs are formed by adding a prefix to a main verb. By doing so, a new form of the verb is created with a distinctive meaning can be separated into two parts. Note when speaking German that this separable prefix is always stressed. Most prefixes are prepositions, but they are occasionally adverbs, nouns, or adjectives.

  Prefix  +  Verb  =  Sep. Verb
ab
(from)
 +  fahren
(to travel)
 =  abfahren
(to depart)
an
(at)
 +  kommen
(to come)
 =  ankommen
(to arrive)
aus
(out of)
 +  steigen
(to climb)
 =  aussteigen
(to get out)
ein
(in)
 +  steigen
(to climb)
 =  einsteigen
(to get in)
um  +  steigen
(to climb)
 =  umsteigen
(to change)


Which prefixes are separable?
The following common prefixes are always separable when attached to a main verb. They usually have a specific meaning in their own right that either modify or completely change the meanings of the root verbs:

ab-
("away")
   an-
("starting")
   auf-
("up")
aus-
("out")
   bei-
("joining")
   da(r)-
ein-
("in")
   entgegen-
("towards")
   hin-
("away")
her-
("towards")
   los-
("starting")
   mit-
("with")
nach-
("after")
   nieder-
("down")
   vor-
("ahead")
vorbei-
("past")
   weg-
("away")
   zu-
("on")
zurück-
("back")
   zusammen-
("together")

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

durch-
("through")
   hinter-
("behind")
   über-
("over")
um-
("change")
   unter-
("under")
   wieder-
("again")



Present tense of a separable verb
Separable verbs are so called because the prefix is separated from the root verb in main clauses and placed at the end of the clause. When this happens, the prefix never alters in form. Instead, the verb itself takes exactly the same endings, whether regular ('weak') or irregular ('strong') as the root verb from which it is derived.

Singular  
ich steige ein I climb in
du steigst ein
Sie steigen ein
You climb in
(informal/formal) 
er/sie/es steigt ein He/she/it climbs in
Plural  
wir steigen ein We climb in
ihr steigt ein
Sie steigen ein
You climb in
(informal/formal) 
sie steigen ein They climb in


Singular  
ich fange an I begin
du fängst an
Sie fangen an
You begin
(informal/formal) 
er/sie/es fängt an He/she/it begins
Plural  
wir fangen an We begin
ihr fangt an
Sie fangen an
You begin
(informal/formal) 
sie fangen an They begin



Word order in the present tense
The separable prefix stands in the final position in a clause. It is thus separated from the conjugated form of its verb in a main clause, including questions. Look at the following examples:

  Verb Clause
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.")
abfahren Wann fährst du ab?
("When do you depart?")
ankommen Wann kommt der Zug an?
("When does the train arrive?")

But in a subordinate clause, the finite verb rejoins the prefix in final position and is written together with as one word. Remember that the separable prefix is always stressed in these contexts:

  • Wer weiß, ob er in München aussteigt?
    (Who knows if he's getting off the train in Munich?)
  • Sie glauben, dass das Konzert um neunzehn Uhr dreißig anfängt.
    (They think that the concert starts at 7.30pm.)
  • Wir sehen uns den Film an, obwohl wir wohl erst um neun Uhr ankommen.
    (We'll watch the film although we'll probably only arrive at nine o'clock.)



Test yourself!
You can test yourself on separable verbs by clicking on the two bars below:




Weiter!German Present Tense: Verb Combinations


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