The meaning of German prefixes for Separable Verbs
Take a simple verb like fahren, add a prefix, and you get a new verb with a new meaning. Do these prefixes have a specific meaning that you can apply to other verbs too? Good news: yes, they do. Bad news: not to all verbs. This lesson explains the most important meanings of 16 prefixes for separable verbs, with two example verbs and a sentence for each meaning. There are no strict rules here. Treat the meanings as a memory aid that helps you understand new verbs a little better.
The 16 Prefixes and Their Meanings
| Prefix | Meaning | Example verbs and sentences |
|---|---|---|
| ab- | away from something | abholen (to pick up), abfahren (to depart) Ich hole dich am Flughafen ab. I will pick you up at the airport. Wann fährt der Zug ab? When does the train leave? |
| an- | to add | anziehen (to put on clothes), anmachen (to switch on) Ich ziehe eine Jacke an. I put on a jacket. |
| an- | to approach | anfassen (to touch), angreifen (to attack) Fass das Bild nicht an. Don't touch the picture. Das Tier hat den Jäger angegriffen. The animal attacked the hunter. |
| auf- | open | aufmachen (to open), auflassen (to leave open) Ich mache täglich meine Fenster auf. I open my windows every day. Hast du die Tür aufgelassen? Did you leave the door open? |
| auf- | up | aufstehen (to get up), aufgeben (to give up) Ich stehe um 7.30 Uhr auf. I get up at 7:30. Gib nicht auf. Don't give up. |
| aus- | out of, off | aussteigen (to get off), ausziehen (to take off) Ich muss an der nächsten Station aussteigen. I have to get off at the next stop. Zieh deinen Pulli aus. Take off your sweater. |
| bei- | to add something | beibringen (to teach), beitragen (to contribute) Wir bringen dir Deutsch bei. We teach you German. Er muss auch seinen Teil dazu beitragen. He also has to do his part. |
| ein- | in | einsteigen (to get on), einatmen (to breathe in) Wo steigst du in den Bus ein? Where do you get on the bus? Bitte atmen Sie tief ein. Please take a deep breath. |
| ein- | to integrate | einladen (to invite), einpacken (to wrap up) Ich lade dich zum Essen ein. I invite you for dinner. Pack das Geschenk ein. Wrap up the gift. |
| her- | towards the speaker | herkommen (to come here), hergeben (to hand over) Martin, komm doch mal her. Martin, come over here. Gib sofort meinen Stift her. Give me my pen immediately. |
| hin- | away from the speaker | hinfahren (to go there), hinstellen (to put down) Morgen fahre ich mit dem Zug hin. Tomorrow I will go there by train. Stell das Fahrrad bei der Uni hin. Leave the bike at the university. |
| hinein- | from outside to the inside | hineingehen (to go inside), hineinfallen (to fall into) Möchtest du jetzt schon hineingehen? Would you like to go in now? Das Tier fiel in die Falle hinein. The animal fell into the trap. |
| los- | to start with something | losfahren (to set off), losgehen (to start walking) Ich fahre morgen um 9 Uhr los. I am leaving tomorrow at 9 a.m. Wann geht ihr morgen los? What time are you leaving tomorrow? |
| mit- | to do something together | mitkommen (to come along), mitmachen (to join in) Ich komme morgen auch mit. I am also coming along tomorrow. Möchtest du auch mitmachen? Would you like to join in? |
| nach- | after something | nachdenken (to think about), nachkommen (to follow later) Kommst du später nach? Will you be joining us later? |
| vor- | in advance | vorbereiten (to prepare), vorbestellen (to pre-order) Ich bereite die Präsentation vor. I am preparing the presentation. Möchten Sie das Kleid vorbestellen? Would you like to pre-order the dress? |
| vor- | to show something | vorstellen (to introduce), vorzeigen (to demonstrate) Ich stelle mich mal vor, mein Name ist Luzi. Let me introduce myself, my name is Luzi. Kannst du uns das vorzeigen? Can you show us that? |
| weg- | removing something or yourself | wegwerfen (to throw away), wegfahren (to leave) Ich werfe alte Bücher nicht weg. I don't throw away old books. Tina ist gerade weggefahren. Tina just drove off. |
| zu- | to close | zumachen (to close), zudrehen (to turn off) Ich habe das Fenster nicht zugemacht. I did not close the window. |
| zu- | in the direction of somebody | zusenden (to send to), zuwerfen (to throw to) Ich schicke dir morgen das Paket zu. I will send you the package tomorrow. Wirf mir den Ball zu. Throw me the ball. |
| zurück- | back | zurückfahren (to drive back), zurückgeben (to give back) Morgen fahre ich um 8 Uhr zurück. Tomorrow I will drive back at 8 o'clock. Gib mir mein Handy zurück. Give me back my cell phone. |
Memory Tips for Some Prefixes
- anmachen fits the meaning "to add" if you think of electricity: you add power to the lamp or the device, so it is switched on. That is why das Licht anmachen means to turn on the light.
- an- and auf- each have two meanings. Look at the verb: anfassen and angreifen mean you approach something, aufmachen and auflassen are about something being open.
- her- and hin- are opposites. With her- the movement goes towards the speaker, with hin- it goes away from the speaker.
- losfahren and losgehen are interchangeable. You can swap the two verbs in the example sentences.
- zudrehen is used for things you can turn, like a water tap or a bottle.
- nachdenken is "to do something after something": you heard a plan, and afterwards you think about it.
Bonus Tip: Prefixes and Prepositions
Many of these prefixes are also prepositions, and most of those prepositions take the dative, for example ab, aus, bei, mit, nach and zu. They are not the same thing as the prefixes, but knowing the preposition meanings helps, because they are sometimes similar to the prefix meanings and sometimes different. For the prepositions, see ALL German A1 Level Prepositions and All German Prepositions A2 Level.
What to Learn Next
The prefix nach- has even more jobs. Read The small German word nach and its uses. For the sentence structure with separable verbs, start with German Separable Verbs: Example Sentences, then Separable Verbs in Main and Subordinate Clauses. For a long list sorted by level, use 50 Must-Know German Separable Verbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do German separable verb prefixes always have a clear meaning?
No. Many prefixes have a typical meaning, for example mit- means doing something together and zurück- means back. But this cannot be applied to all verbs, so use the meanings as a memory aid and not as a rule.
What does the prefix an- mean in separable verbs?
An- has two main meanings: to add something (anziehen, anmachen) and to approach something (anfassen, angreifen).
What is the difference between her- and hin- in German?
Her- means towards the speaker: Martin, komm doch mal her. Hin- means away from the speaker: Morgen fahre ich mit dem Zug hin.
Which prefix means back in German?
Zurück-, as in zurückfahren (to drive back) and zurückgeben (to give back).
Are German prefixes and prepositions the same thing?
No, but many separable prefixes are also prepositions, most of them with the dative. Their meanings are sometimes similar and sometimes different, so it helps to know both.
Want to understand separable verbs and the rest of German grammar step by step? Our B1 German online course gives you clear video lessons and plenty of practice.
