Trennbare Verben erkennen
Separable verbs: spotting and questions
How to tell if a verb is separable, how to ask questions with it, and how to use it with a modal verb.
How to identify separable verbs
- If the prefix itself has a meaning in German, the verb is separable (trennbar).
- If the prefix has no meaning in German, the verb is NOT separable.
Separable: the prefix has a meaning
| Verb | Meaning | Prefix | Prefix meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| anrufen | to call | an | on |
| zumachen | to close | zu | to, towards |
| mitkommen | to come along | mit | with |
| einkaufen | to buy, to shop | ein | in |
NOT separable: the prefix has no meaning
| Verb | Meaning | Prefix |
|---|---|---|
| besuchen | to visit | be- |
| empfangen | to receive | emp- |
| verfahren | to act | ver- |
| erteilen | to issue | er- |
Exceptions
- Some prefixes can be both separable and not separable: durch-, über-, um-, unter-, voll-, wieder-, hinter-.
- durchlesen (to read through) is separable. durchleben (to experience) is not.
- Check any verb on verbformen.com.
Questions with separable verbs
- Wann stehst du morgen auf?
- Kommst du heute mit?
Word order in questions
- W-question: W-word (1st), conjugated base verb (2nd), subject, extra information, prefix at the end.
- Yes/No question: conjugated base verb (1st), subject, extra information, prefix at the end.
Separable verbs with modal verbs
- With a modal verb, the modal verb is conjugated in 2nd position.
- The separable verb goes to the end in its combined infinitive form: the prefix joins the base verb again.
Without and with a modal verb
- Ich ziehe am 1. November um
- Ich muss am 1. November umziehen
- Wir stehen morgen früh auf
- Wir können morgen früh aufstehen