German Separable Verbs: The Basics Explained

Separable verbs are the reason German sentences sometimes seem to end with a random extra word — and once you see the pattern, it stops being random. This lesson covers the basics of trennbare Verben (separable verbs): what they are, how to conjugate them, where the prefix goes in a sentence, and which prefixes you can count on being separable. What Are Separable Verbs? A separable verb is made up of a prefix plus a base verb, and that prefix changes the verb's meaning — sometimes slightly, sometimes completely. Take 'kommen' (to come): add 'an' and you get 'ankommen' (to arrive); add 'mit' and you get 'mitkommen' (to come along). The prefix isn't decoration — it's doing real semantic work. How to Conjugate and Use Them in a Sentence In a main clause, you conjugate the base verb as usual and send it to the second position — but the prefix splits off and travels all the way to the end of the clause. 'Ich komme heute Abend an' (I'm arriving tonight) shows 'ankommen' split into 'komme...an' around the rest of the sentence. Which Prefixes Are Separable — and Which Never Are Some prefixes are reliably separable: auf-, an-, aus-, mit-, zu-, ein-, ab-, vor-, among others. A small set is reliably non-separable and never splits off: be-, ge-, er-, ver-, ent-, emp-, zer-. Learning these two short lists removes most of the guesswork. Frequently Asked Questions What is a separable verb in German? It's a verb formed from a prefix plus a base verb, where the prefix detaches and moves to the end of the clause in a main sentence, while still changing the verb's core meaning. Where does the prefix go in a sentence? In a main clause, the conjugated base verb stays in second position while the prefix moves all the way to the end of the clause. Which prefixes are always separable? Common separable prefixes include auf-, an-, aus-, mit-, zu-, ein-, ab-, and vor-, among others — they detach from the verb in a main clause. Which prefixes are never separable? Be-, ge-, er-, ver-, ent-, emp-, and zer- are always non-separable — they stay attached to the verb no matter the sentence structure. Why do separable verbs matter for German learners? They're extremely common in everyday German, and misplacing the prefix is one of the most frequent beginner mistakes — getting the pattern right early makes your sentences sound far more natural.

Ready to put separable verbs into full sentences? Our A1 German course covers this and the rest of German sentence structure. { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is a separable verb in German?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It's a verb formed from a prefix plus a base verb, where the prefix detaches and moves to the end of the clause in a main sentence, while still changing the verb's core meaning." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where does the prefix go in a sentence?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In a main clause, the conjugated base verb stays in second position while the prefix moves all the way to the end of the clause." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which prefixes are always separable?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Common separable prefixes include auf-, an-, aus-, mit-, zu-, ein-, ab-, and vor-, among others — they detach from the verb in a main clause." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which prefixes are never separable?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Be-, ge-, er-, ver-, ent-, emp-, and zer- are always non-separable — they stay attached to the verb no matter the sentence structure." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why do separable verbs matter for German learners?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "They're extremely common in everyday German, and misplacing the prefix is one of the most frequent beginner mistakes — getting the pattern right early makes your sentences sound far more natural." } } ] }