Separable Verbs ✂️

Detachable Verbs: A Gentle Introduction

This page was updated in October 2022.

One Entity or Two

Just like a cup and saucer, the two parts of a German separable verb can appear as one entity or they can be detached and work as two separate parts. The dictionary entry is under the whole verb.

Tee zubereiten – prepare tea
die Kerzen ausblasen – blow out the candles
den Kuchen aufessen – eat up the whole cake
die Tasse und Untertasse abwaschen – wash up the cup and saucer

Separable Verbs in the Present Tense

In a present tense sentence, the base verb is conjugated and placed second, while the detachable prefix is sent to the end of the sentence.

Sentence Patterns

Key: conjugated base verb ♦ detachable prefix

mitkommen – to come along: Ich komme gern mit. – I’d like to come along.
aufmachen – to open: Er macht die Tür auf. – He is opening the door.
aussehen – to look, appear: Du siehst hübsch aus. – You look lovely / pretty.
anfangen – to begin: Im Januar fängt sie ein neues Studium an. – In January she is starting a new course.

Four Types of Sentences

vorlesen → to read aloud, read out

Present: Die Großmutter liest die Geschichte vor. → The grandmother reads out the story.

Future: Die Großmutter wird die Geschichte vorlesen. → The grandmother will read the story.

Add a Modal Verb: Die Großmutter möchte die Geschichte vorlesen. → The grandmother would like to read out the story.

Perfect Tense: Die Großmutter hat die Geschichte vorgelesen. → The grandmother has read out the story.

One Base Verb, Many Meanings

Base Verb: sehen – to see

The same base verb can have many separable prefixes. Here are just a few examples with sehen:

ansehen → to look at
aussehen → to look/appear
absehen → to foresee
fernsehen → to watch TV
hochsehen → to look up

One Prefix, Many Meanings

Prefix: durch – through

The same prefix can be used to create many detachable verbs:

durchblättern – to leaf through, turn over pages
durcharbeiten – to work through something, go through it thoroughly
durchdenken – to think something through, think something over
durchhalten – to hold on, stick it out, persevere

A Highly Recommended Video

Video: Trennbare Verben | Separable Verbs

Inap from Deutsch mit Inap provides a very clear introduction to separable verbs, working through many useful examples.

Thirty Useful Separable Verbs: A Shortlist

**abfahren** – to depart
**wegfahren –** to go, drive away

**aufmachen** – to open
**zumachen** – to close
Bilbo **macht** die Tür zu.

**ausgehen** – to go out
**mitkommen** – to come along

**anmachen** – to turn on
**ausmachen** – to turn off

abfahren – to depart (vowel-changer: Der Bus fährt bald up)
abholen – to fetch, to pick up
absetzen – to drop off
anfangen – to begin (vowel-changer: Du fängst mit dem Essen an; er/sie/es fängt an)
ankommen – to arrive
anmachen – to turn on
anrufen – to ring up
(sich) anziehen – to get dressed
aufhören – to stop
aufmachen – to open
aufräumen – to tidy up
aufstehen – to get up, to stand up
ausgehen – to go out
ausmachen – to turn off
aussehen – to look like, appear (vowel-changer: du siehst toll aus)
(sich) ausziehen – to undress
einkaufen – to shop, go shopping
einladen – to invite (vowel-changer: Wen lädst du zu deiner Party ein?)
glattgehen – to got smoothly, to go off without a hitch
mitbringen – to bring along
mitkommen – to come along
mitmachen – to take part, to participate, work together
schiefgehen – to go wrong (literally: to go crooked)
vorbereiten – to prepare
vorschlagen – to suggest (vowel-changer: Was schlägst du vor?)
wegfahren – to go away, drive away (vowel-changer: Fährst du in den Ferien weg?)
zubereiten – to prepare food
zumachen – to close
zurückbringen – to bring back
zurückkommen – to come back, to return