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German Separable & Inseparable Verbs

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How separable and inseparable prefixes change verb meaning, word order and past participles — a key German mechanic.

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Inseparable prefixes in German

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1Inseparable prefixes in German
Permanent prefixes that never separate from the verb: ver-, ge-, be-, er-, ent- (or emp-), zer-. They are never stressed.
2ver- (prefix)
brauchen (to need) → verbrauchen (to consume/use up); raten (to advise) → verraten (to betray)
3ge- (prefix)
fallen (to fall) → gefallen (to be pleasing); hören (to hear) → gehören (zu) (to belong to)
4be- (prefix)
Be- often makes a transitive verb from an intransitive verb. Example: beginnen (to begin) - no form *ginnen exists
5er- (prefix)
Creative processes. Example: schaffen (to create) → erschaffen (to create completely)
6ent- (prefix)
Processes of removing. Example: nehmen (to take) → entnehmen (to extract/remove)
7zer- (prefix)
Destructive actions. Example: brechen (to break) → zerbrechen (to shatter)
8Separable prefixes in German
Prefixes that can split from the verb and move to the end of the sentence. They are always stressed when attached.
9auf- (prefix)
legen (to lay) → auflegen (to place on, to apply); stehen (to stand) → aufstehen (to get up)
10aus- (prefix)
legen (to lay) → auslegen (to lay out, to display, to interpret)
11ein- (prefix)
legen (to lay) → einlegen (to insert, to inlay); kaufen (to buy) → einkaufen (to shop)
12mit- (prefix)
kommen (to come) → mitkommen (to come along); machen (to do) → mitmachen (to participate)
13an- (prefix)
fangen (to catch) → anfangen (to start); rufen (to call) → anrufen (to call (on the phone))
14To separable prefixes when the verb is in second position
The prefix separates and moves to the end of the sentence. Example: Ich fange mit der Arbeit an. (I start work.)
15To separable prefixes when the verb is in final position
The prefix stays attached to the verb. Example: ...weil ich dann mit der Arbeit anfange. (...because I then start work.)
16You form the past participle of a separable verb
The 'ge-' goes between the prefix and the stem. Example: anfangen → angefangen; mitkommen → mitgekommen
17You form the past participle of an inseparable verb
No 'ge-' is added at all. Example: verstehen → verstanden; beginnen → begonnen
18hin (directional prefix)
legen (to lay) → hinlegen (to lay down/lie down there)
19her (directional prefix)
legen (to lay) → herlegen (to put something here)
20hinein (directional prefix)
legen (to lay) → hineinlegen (to put into a container there)
21hinaus (directional prefix)
legen (to lay) → hinauslegen (to lie out in the sun)
22ab- (prefix)
Off, down, away. Example: fahren → abfahren (to depart); geben → abgeben (to hand in)
23zu- (prefix)
To, towards, closed. Example: machen → zumachen (to close); hören → zuhören (to listen to)
24vor- (prefix)
Forward, before, in front. Example: legen → vorlegen (to present, to submit)
25nach- (prefix)
After, to follow. Example: legen → nachlegen (to add more); kommen → nachkommen (to follow)
26weg- (prefix)
Away. Example: legen → weglegen (to put away); gehen → weggehen (to go away)
27zurück- (prefix)
Back. Example: kommen → zurückkommen (to come back); geben → zurückgeben (to give back)
28Some verbs have both separable and inseparable versions
Yes! Example: übersetzen - separable (to ferry over, stress on über-) vs. inseparable (to translate, stress on setzen)
29Umfahren - separable version
To drive into something, knocking it over. Stress on um-. Ich fahre das Verkehrszeichen um.
30Umfahren - inseparable version
To drive around something. Stress on fahren. Ich umfahre das Verkehrszeichen.