How to Use Separable Prefix Verbs (trennbare Verben) in German
In this lesson you will learn how to use the separable prefix verbs in German (also known as “trennbare Verben”). I explain when to separate the prefix from a German verb and when not to. I’ll also show you a list of the separable prefixes.
You will learn how these separable verbs work and how to use a variety of separable verbs in German through a ton of example sentences. Other lessons in this series explain inseparable prefixes, how to use the most common separable prefixes and which prefixes you probably didn't know existed.
What's up with verb prefixes in German?
First off, let’s talk about prefixes in general. If you didn’t already read my inseparable verbs lesson, shame on you, but don’t worry, I will repeat myself a bit here. German verbs are often modified with prefixes. They change the meaning and morph one verb into another.
For example, the verb “geben” is often translated as “to give”, but when you add the prefix “aus-” we translate it with the English verb “to spend”. While this does more accurately represent the usage of the verb “ausgeben”, you can also translate it as “to give out”. This tells us the prefix aus- changes the direction of the “geben” from a more general non-specific “away from the subject” direction to a slightly more specific “outward” direction.
Basically every verb in German has a direction of sorts. The direction of “lernen” is “from less to more”. The direction of “leben” is “forward”. The direction of “singen” is “from your mouth away”. These directions are changed by prefixes.
Most prefixes, like “aus-” are separable. This means that the prefix is often moved to the end of the sentence. For example:
Ich gebe zwanzig Euro für das Konzert aus. -
I am spending twenty Euros for the concert.
The list of separable prefixes is considerably longer than the list of inseparable prefixes I explained last time. That’s why there is no way I could cover them all in one lesson. Today I’ll use a variety of these prefixes to illustrate the rules for how to use them in a variety of situations, but for those of you who just want to know which prefixes are separable, there you go.
Separable Prefix Basics
Most of the time, separable prefixes will be separated from the main part of the verb, hence the name. When they are separated, they go to the end of the sentence or clause in which the main part of the verb was used. For example:
abräumen - to clear off
Das Kind räumt den Tisch ab. -
The child clears off the table.
The main part of the verb goes where the conjugated verb usually goes. In statements this is most commonly the second position, but I’ll show you some examples later in which the verb is moved to a different location. The prefix ab- is moved to the end of the sentence right before the period. Let’s try a few more of those before I move on to a different rule.
ankommen - to arrive
Wann kommt der Zug an? -
When does the train arrive?
aufgeben - to give up, surrender
Sisyphus gibt nie auf. -
Sisyphus never gives up.
beitreten - to join
Meine Frau tritt der Kirche bei. -
My wife is joining the church.
All of the examples so far have been in the present tense. If you use the simple past (Präteritum) tense, nothing changes except the form of the verb used. Here are the same examples, but in the simple past.
Das Kind räumte den Tisch ab. -
The child cleared the table.
Wann kam der Zug an? -
When did the train arrive?
Sisyphus gab nie auf. -
Sisyphus never gave up.
Meine Frau trat der Kirche bei. -
My wife joined the church.
Future Tense (Futur 1) with Separable Prefixes
If you use the verb “werden” to form the future tense, you push the verb to the end of the sentence or clause in the infinitive form, just like you would with any other verb. With the separable prefix verbs, this means that you put the prefix back on the main part of the verb, as the infinitive form of any verb with a separable prefix is simply that verb with the prefix attached. You put the emphasis of the word on the prefix and not the main part of the verb. This is the opposite for inseparable prefixes. For example:
hinaufklettern - to climb up
Imse Wimse Spinne wird wieder hinaufklettern. -
The Itsy Bitsy Spider will climb up again.
fernsehen - to watch TV
Heute Abend werden wir fernsehen. -
This evening we will watch TV.
This rule also works when you use a modal verb in either the present or simple past tenses.
weggehen - to go away
Du musst jetzt weggehen. -
You have to go away now.
herunterladen - to download
Als Kind konnten wir keine Musik herunterladen. -
When I was a kid, we couldn’t download music.
Infinitive + zu Construction with Separable Prefixes
If the infinitive you are using requires “zu”, which I explained in this post, you put “zu” between the prefix and the rest of the verb. For example:
Um dieses Video heute hochzuladen, musste ich den ganzen Tag arbeiten. -
In order to upload this video today, I had to work the entire day.
Anstatt bei ihrer Mutter nachzufragen, ist sie einfach ausgegangen. -
Instead of asking her mother, she simply went out.
Separable Verbs in the Perfekt Tense
When you use a separable verb in the Perfekt tense or any of the tenses that are based off of it (Plusquamperfekt or Futur 2), you put the ge- part of the past participle between the prefix and the rest of the verb. The past participle still goes where it normally would, the end of the sentence or clause. For example:
Die Versammlung hat im Konferenzraum stattgefunden. -
The meeting took place in the conference room.
Mein Sohn hat mir nicht zugehört. -
My son didn’t listen to me.
Don’t forget that when you use the Perfekt tense in a subordinate clause that the conjugated verb goes to the end of the clause, which means “haben” or “sein” is behind the past participle. For example:
Als mein Bruder zurückgekommen ist, bin ich weggegangen. -
When my brother came home, I left.
As I mentioned these rules apply to the tenses based off of the Perfekt tense, too. This would include the Plusquamperfekt.
Die Polizei hatte neue Informationen über den Banküberfall freigegeben. -
The police released new information about the bank robbery.
Or the Futur 2 (future perfect).
Meine Mutter wird schon eingekauft haben. -
My mother will have already shopped.
Or even the passive voice.
Die Informationen wurden von der Polizei freigegeben. -
The information was released by the police.
Subordinating Conjunctions and Subordinate Clauses
If you are using a verb with a separable prefix in a Nebensatz or subordinate clause, you put the prefix and the rest of the verb together even if the verb is conjugated. For example:
einkaufen - to shop, buy
Wenn er einkauft, bringt er seinen Hund nicht. -
When he shops, he doesn’t bring his dog.
vorbeikommen - to come by
Meine Mutter fragt, ob meine Freundin vorbeikommt. -
My mother is asking if my girlfriend is coming over.
I know I have explained a ton of rules today, so let’s do a quick recap so you can see it all together.
- If the separable prefix is used in a simple sentence in the present or simple past tense, put the prefix at the end.
- If you need to use the infinitive of the verb, put the prefix back on the front of the verb.
- If that infinitive requires “zu”, put “zu” between the prefix and the rest of the verb.
- If you are using a past participle, the ones used in the Perfekt, Plusquamperfekt and Futur 2 tenses, put the ge- between the prefix and the rest of the verb.
- If you are using a subordinate clause with a separable prefix, you put the conjugated form of the verb with the prefix at the end of the clause or sentence.
There were a lot of rules mentioned today that require you to have knowledge about other parts of the German language. If you need help with those, I have linked each of them below.
The Most Common Separable Prefixes
Some Prefixes You Didn't Know Existed
Make sure you know all there is to know about the present tense with these articles
Regular Verb Conjugation in Präsens
Stem-Changing Verbs in Präsens
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