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
like English be- s. befinden (be located)
befolgen (follow)
be-
makes verb take a befreunden (befriend)
direct object (acc.) begegnen (meet)
 bekommen (get)
bemerken (notice, remark)
empfangen (receive)
emp- sense, receive empfehlen (recommend)
empfinden (feel)
entarten (degenerate)
entbehren (miss, do without)
entdecken (discover)
entfallen (elude, slip)
away from entfernen (remove, take out)
ent- entkalken (decalcify)
English de-/dis- entkleiden (disrobe, undress)
entkommen (escape, get away)
entlassen (discharge, release)
entstehen (originate, be formed/created)
entwerten (devalue, cancel)
erhängen (hang, execute)
fatal, dead erschiessen (shoot dead)
ertrinken (drown)
er-
s. erinnern (remember)
like English re- erkennen (recognize)
erholen (recover, relax)
gebrauchen (use, make use of)
gedenken (commemorate, intend)
gefallen (like)
gehören (belong to)
gelangen (arrive at)
ge- --
geloben (vow)
genesen (recover, recuperate)
gestalten (shape, form)
gestehen (confess)
gewähren (grant, give, offer)
missachten (disregard, disdain)
missbrauchen (abuse, misuse)
miss- English mis-
misstrauen (mistrust)
missverstehen (misunderstand)
verachten (despise)
verbilden (miseducate)
bad, awry verderben (go bad, spoil)
English mis- s. verfahren (go astray, get lost)
verkommen (go to ruin, become run down)
ver- verschlafen (oversleep)
verdrängen (drive out)
verduften (lose its aroma)
lose, away/out
verlassen (leave, abandon)
verlieren (lose)
 verbieten (forbid)
English for- vergeben (forgive)
vergessen (forget)
verbinden (bandage, link, tie)
vergrößern (enlarge)
???
verhaften (arrest)
versprechen (promise)
vollenden (complete, finish)
voll-* full, complete 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]).
zerbrechen (shatter)
collapse, shatter,
zer- zerreissen (rip up, shred)
shred
zerstören (destroy)
NOTE: Inseparable-prefix verbs do not add the normal past participle prefix ge- in the
perfect tenses. See the examples below.

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
abblenden (screen, fade out, dim [lights])
ab- from 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)
an- at, to
anhängen (attach)
ankommen (arrive)
anschauen (look at, examine)
aufbauen (build up, put up, add on)
aufdrehen (turn on, unscrew, wind up)
auffallen (stand out, be noticeable)
auf- on, out, up, un-
aufgeben (give up; check [luggage])
aufkommen (arise, spring up; bear [costs])
aufschließen (unlock; develop [land])
ausbilden (educate, train)
ausbreiten (extend, spread out)
ausfallen (fail, fall out, be canceled)
aus- out, from ausgehen (go out)
ausmachen (10 meanings!)
aussehen (appear, look [like])
auswechseln (exchange, replace [parts])
See The 10 Meanings of the German Verb 'ausmachen'.
beibringen (teach; inflict)
beikommen (get hold of, deal with)
beischlafen (have sexual relations with)
bei- along, with
beisetzen (bury, inter)
beitragen (contribute [to])
beitreten (join)
durchhalten (withstand, endure; hold out)
durch-* through
durchfahren (drive through)
*The prefix durch- is usually separable, but it can also be inseparable. See Dual Prefixes.
einatmen (inhale)
einberufen (conscript, draft; convene, summon)
einbrechen (break in; break down/through, cave in)
ein- in, into, inward, down
eindringen (force entry into, penetrate, besiege)
einfallen (collapse; occur to, remind)
eingehen (enter, sink in, be received)
fortbilden (continue education)
fortbringen (take away [for repair], post)
fort- away, forth, onward fortpflanzen (propagate, reproduce; be transmitted)
fortsetzen (continue)
forttreiben (drive away)
mitarbeiten (cooperate, collaborate)
mit- along, with, co-
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)
nachahmen (imitate, emulate, copy)
nachbessern (retouch)
nachdrucken (reprint)
nach- after, copy, re-
nachfüllen (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,
before, forward, pre-,
vor- produce)
pro-
vorführen (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)
weg- away, off
weghaben (have got done, have got done)
wegnehmen (take away)
wegtauchen (disappear)
zubringen (bring/take to)
zudecken (cover up, tuck in)
zuerkennen (bestow, confer [on])
shut/closed, to,
zu- zufahren (drive/ride towards)
towards, upon
zufassen (make a grab for)
zulassen (authorize, license)
zunehmen (increase, gain, add weight)
zurückblenden (flash back [to])
zurückgehen (go back, return)
zurückschlagen (hit/strike back)
zurück- back, re-
zurückschrecken (shrink back/from, recoil, shy away)
zurücksetzen (reverse, mark down, put back)
zurückweisen (refuse, repulse, turn back/away)
zusammenbauen (assemble)
zusammenfassen (summarize)
zusammenklappen (fold up, shut)
zusammen- together
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).
German Verb Prefixes (2b)
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 .

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.

Verb Prefixes > Inseparable | Separable 1 | Separable 2 | Dual

> Sample Sentences with verb prefixes

Separable Prefixes 2
Trennbare Präfixe 2

Prefix Meaning Examples

dableiben (stay behind)
da- there
dalassen (leave there)
dabeibleiben (stay/stick with it)
dabei- there
dabeisitzen (sit in on)
darangeben (sacrifice)
daran- on/to it
daranmachen (set about it, get down to it)
emporarbeiten (work one's way up)
empor- up, upward, over emporblicken (raise one's eyes up, look up)
emporragen (tower, rise above/over)
entgegenarbeiten (oppose, work against)
entgegen- against, towards
entgegenkommen (approach, come towards)
entlanggehen (go/walk along)
entlang- along
entlangschrammen (scrape by)
fehlgehen (go astray, err)
fehl- awry, wrong
fehlschlagen (go wrong, come to nothing)
festlaufen (run aground)
fest- firm, fixed festlegen (establish, fix)
festsitzen (be stuck, cling)
across from, gegenüberliegen (face, be opposite)
gegenüber-
opposite, con- gegenüberstellen (confront, compare)
gleichkommen (equal, match)
gleich- equal
gleichsetzen (equate, treat as equivalent)
herfahren (come/get here)
her- from, here
herstellen (manufacture, produce; establish)
 heraufarbeiten (work one's way up)
herauf- up from, out of
heraufbeschwören (evoke, give rise to)
herauskriegen (get out of, find out)
heraus- from, out of
herausfordern (challenge, provoke)
hinarbeiten (work towards)
hin- to, towards, there
hinfahren (go/drive there)
hinweggehen (disregard, pass over)
hinweg- away, over
hinwegkommen (dismiss, get over)
hinbekommen (get in addition)
hinzu- in addition
hinzufügen (add, enclose)
losbellen (start barking)
los- away, start
losfahren (set/drive off)
stattfinden (take place, be held [event])
statt- --
stattgeben (grant)
zusammenarbeiten (co-operate, collaborate)
zusammengeben (mix [ingredients])
zusammenhauen (smash to pieces)
zusammen- together, to pieces
zusammenheften (staple together)
zusammenkrachen (crash [down])
zusammenreißen (pull oneself together)
zwischenblenden (blend in; insert [film, music])
zwischen- between
zwischenlanden (stop over [flying])
NOTE: All of the separable verbs form their past participle with ge-, as in zurückgegangen (zurückgehen).

Part 3: Dual 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 .

Verb Prefixes > Inseparable | Separable | Dual >

Rechtschreibreform > Sample Sentences with verb prefixes
Dual or Variable Prefixes
Separable/Inseparable Prefixes
(Can be either one or the other)
Prefix Meaning Examples
durchdringen (sep., penetrate)
durch- through durchfahren (sep., drive through)
durchfressen (insep., eat through [acid, rust, etc.])
 hinterlassen (insep., leave; bequeath)
hinter- behind
hinterlassen (sep., allow s.o. to go behind)
überfahren (insep., run over)
überfahren (sep., ferry across, cross over)
überfallen (insep., attack, hold up [a bank])
über- over, across
übersetzen (insep., translate)
übersetzen (sep., ferry across)
überwinden (insep., overcome)
umarmen (insep., embrace, hug)
umbauen (sep., renovate, convert)
umbauen (insep., enclose, surround)
umbinden (sep., tie on)
um- around
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])
unterbrechen (insep., interrupt, disconnect)
unterbringen (sep., accomodate)
unterdrücken (insep., oppress, repress, suppress)
unter- down untergehen (sep., sink, perish)
unternehmen (insep., do, undertake)
unterwerfen (insep., conquer, subjugate)
unterzeichnen (insep., sign [a document])
widerklingen (sep., resound)
widerlegen (insep., refute, disprove)
wider- against, re- widerraten (insep., advise/counsel against)
widersprechen (insep., contradict)
widertönen (sep., echo)
wiedergeben (insep., restore, give back; recite, perform; represent,
reproduce, convey)
wieder- again
wiederkehren (sep., return, repeat, recur)
wiedersehen (sep., see/meet again)
Note: All of the dual verb prefixes are stressed when separable, unstressed when inseparable:
übersetzen (ferry across) vs. übersetzen (translate).
http://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre03.htm, accessed 16th November 2010.