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Prefixes
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Prefixes
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German Verb Prefixes
Separable and Inseparable Verb 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 ourGerman Verbssection 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 Prfixe
Prefix Meaning Examples
be- like English be-
makes verb take a direct object (acc.)
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
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)
er- fatal, dead erhngen (hang, execute)
erschiessen (shoot dead)
ertrinken (drown)
like English re- s. erinnern (remember)
erkennen (recognize)
erholen (recover, relax)
ge- - - 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)
http://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_preSPELL.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre04.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre01.htm?p=1http://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre01.htm?p=1http://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre04.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_preSPELL.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre03.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre02.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre04.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/anfang/blanfang19.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_index.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_start.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/anfang/blanfang_inhalt.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/anfang/blanfang19.htmhttp://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre01.htm?p=1http://german.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http%3a%2f%2fgerman%2eabout%2ecom%2flibrary%2fverbs%2fblverb%5fpre01%2ehtm&zItl=http://www.about.com/http://www.about.com/education/http://german.about.com/
7/25/2019 German Verb Prefixes - Separable and Inseparable
Prefixes
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24/6/2016 Ger man Ver b Pr efixes - Separ able and Insepar able
Prefixes
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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)
verlieren (lose)
English for- verbieten (forbid)
vergeben(forgive)
vergessen (forget)
??? verbinden (bandage, link, tie)
vergrern (enlarge)
verhaften (arrest)
versprechen (promise)
voll-* 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, sh at ter, sh red 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.
NEXT > Separable Prefixes | Dual Prefixes
Also see: Verb Prefixes and Rechtschreibreform
Comments: Inseparable Prefix Verbs
There are verbs in English that are constructed and used much
like German inseparable-prefix verbs: contend, extend, pretend, and
intend are all based on the
verb "tend." A similar example in German is the verb finden
(find). By adding various inseparable prefixes, German alters the
meaning of finden to create newmeanings: sich befinden(be located),
empfinden(feel), or erfinden (invent). As you can see, many common
German verbs are inseparable-prefix verbs.
German verbs with inseparable prefixes do not add the normal
past participle prefix ge- in the perfect tenses. Examples:
bekommen(to get) hat/hatte
bekommen erwarten (to expect, await) hat/hatte erwartet
verstehen(to understand) hat/hatte verstanden. For more about
German verb tenses, see
our German Verbs section.
NEXT > Separable Prefixes | Dual Prefixes
MORE > Sample Sentences with verb prefixes
Related Pages
Lesson 19
An introduction to separable-prefix verbs and their conjugation.
Includes a brief look at inseparable prefixes as well. Part of our
online German for Beginners
course.
Verb Prefixes and Rechtschreibreform
How do the new German spelling rules affect verb prefixes?
The 10 Meanings of the German Verb 'ausmachen'
There are at least ten different basic meanings for the German
verb ausmachen. This lesson examines each meaning and provides
examples in German and
English.
Verb-Lexikon
An alphabetical list of common German verbs, many with links to
their conjugations.
German Verbs
An index of all of our German verb pages.
English-German Glossaries
All of the annotated glossaries on this site - from aerospace to
travel.
German Grammar
All of the grammar resources on this site.
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