un/seperable Flashcards
remember which prefixes make the German verb seperable
ab-
Separable
Conveys “away”, “down”, “off”, with the idea of finishing or completing an action
fliegen to fly | abfliegen to depart (of airplane)
nehmen to take | abnehmen to take down/off
an-
Separable
Conveys “at”, “on”, or the idea of starting an action or doing something partially.
lächeln to smile | anlächeln to smile at schauen to look | anschauen to look at probieren to try | anprobieren to try on tasten to touch | antasten to touch on trinken to drink | antrinken to start drinking
auf-
Separable
Conveys “up” or the idea of a sudden start
‘klären’ - to clarify | aufklären to clear up
essen =to eat | aufessen to eat up
munter = lively | aufmuntern to liven up
brechen = to break | aufbrechen to break open, to set out (on a trip)
aus-
Separable
Conveys “out” with the idea of completing an action
gleichen = to equal | ausgleichen to even out rufen = to call | ausrufen to cry out radieren = to erase | ausradieren to erase (completely)
ein-
Separable
Derived from the preposition “in”. Conveys “in” or the idea of getting used to something
atmen = to breathe | einatmen = to inhale leiten = to lead | einleiten = to introduce spielen = to play | einspielen = to warm up
los-
Separable
Conveys “away” or the idea of beginning something
fahren = to drive | losfahren = to set out (on a trip) reißen = to rip | losreißen = to tear away werden = to become | loswerden = to get rid of
mit-
Separable
Conveys “along”, “away”, or the idea of accompanying or cooperating
nehmen = to take | mitnehmen = to take along singen = to sing | mitsingen = to join in singing machen = to do | mitmachen = to participate=
vor-
Separable
Conveys the idea of demonstrating, going forward, or preceding
schreiben = to write | vorschreiben = to stipulate singen = to sing | vorsingen = to sing to wärmen = to warm | vorwärmen = to preheat
weg-
Separable
Conveys “away”
schicken to send | wegschicken to send away
führen to lead | wegführen to lead away
zurück-
Separable
Conveys “back”, the idea of returning
denken = to think | zurückdenken = to think back reisen = to travel | zurückreisen = to travel back
zusammen-
Separable
Conveys “up” or “together”, the idea of reducing to a focal point
schrumpfen = to shrink | zusammenschrumpfen = to shrivel up kleben = to adhere | zusammenkleben = to stick together brechen = to break | zusammenbrechen = to collapse, cave in
durch-
Separable
has the meaning of entering a process with purpose and coming out the other end.
“durcharbeiten” (to work through);
“durchbrechen” (to break through);
“durchatmen” (to breathe deeply);
“durchbraten” (to cook or roast all the way through); “durchdrehen” (to put through a grinder);
“durchgehen” (to walk through);
“sich durchfinden” (to find one’s way through); “durchhalten” (to withstand, to endure);
“durchfahren” (to drive straight through);
“durchführen” (to implement; to carry out [a task]); “durchkämmen” (to comb through [hair]);
“durchlassen” (to allow through);
“durchschlüpfen (to slip through);
“durchschneiden” (to cut through);
“durchsprechen” (to talk through; to talk over; to talk out; to argue something out);
“durchstoßen” (to knock a hole through); “durchwählen” (to dial directly);
“durchziehen” (to pull through [an opening]).
entgegen-
Separable
“entgegen-“ means “toward” or “against”:
“entgegenarbeiten” (to work against); “entgegenkommen” (to approach; to accommodate; to meet halfway);
“entgegennehmen” (to accept or receive); “entgegensetzen” (to contrast);
“sich entegenstellen” (to oppose);
“entgegentreten” (to confront); “entgegenwirken” (to counteract).
entlang-
Separable
“entlang-“ means “along”. It can be affixed to just about any verb of motion.
“entlanggehen”, “entlanglaufen” (to go/walk along)
fort-
Separable
fort-“ means “away,” “forth,” or “onward” [as in “continuing”].
“sich fortbewegen” (to move along; to move on); “fortbilden” (to continue [one’s] education);
“fortbringen” (to take away [for repair]);
“sich fortentwickeln” (to continue to develop);
“fortfahren” (to continue);
“fortlaufen” (to run away);
“fortpflanzen” (to propagate);
“fortsetzen” (to continue);
“forttreiben” (to drive away).
frei-
Separable
frei-“ means “free” or “clear”:
"freibekommen" (to get time off); "freihalten" (to keep clear [not block]); "freikämpfen" (to liberate); "freikommen" (to escape; to get away); "freilegen" (to uncover); "freisetzen" (to release)
gleich-
Separable
“gleich-“ means “equal”:
“gleichbleiben” (to stay the same);
“gleichkommen” (to equal; to be tantamount to); “gleichmachen” (to make equal);
“gleichsetzen” (to equate; to treat as equivalent)
heim-
Separable
“heim-“ means “home”
"heimbegleiten" (to accompany home); "heimfahren" (to drive home); "heimfinden" (to find one's way home); "heimgehen" (to go/walk home); "heimkehren" (to return home); "heimkommen" (to come home);
hin-
Separable
indicates motion away from the speaker, “thither”; also “down.”
"hinarbeiten" (to work towards); "hinbekommen" (to get something done); "hinbewegen" (to move toward); "hinbiegen" (to arrange); "hinbringen" (to take there); "hindeuten" (to point to); "hinfahren" (to go/drive there); "hinfallen" (to fall down); "hinfinden" (to find one's way to); "hinführen" (to lead to); "hingeraten" (to get there); "hinhalten" (to hold out; to delay); "hinhorchen" (to listen closely); "hinknien" (to kneel down); "hinkommen" (to get there); "hinlegen" (to lay down); "hinlenken" (to steer toward); "hinnehmen" (to accept; to put up with); "hinschicken" (to send there); "sich hinsetzen" (to sit down);
mit-
Separable
“mit-“ can be attached to any appropriate verb to indicate joining or participating in the activity, somewhat akin to the English “along”:
"mitarbeiten" (to collaborate; to work along with); "mitbringen" (to bring along); "mitfahren" (to ride with); "etwas mitgeben" (to give something [for the purpose of taking it along]); "mithalten" (to keep up with); "mithelfen" (to help out); "mithören" (to listen in; to eavesdrop); "mitkommen" (to come along); "mitmachen" (to participate); "mitnehmen" (to take along); "mitschreiben" (to take notes); "mitsingen" (to sing along); "mitspielen" (to take part in the game);
nach-
Separable
“nach-“ offers a variety of meanings. Attached to a verb of motion, it can mean to “follow after” (see also hinterher-); in some cases, the act of “following” can designate a testing or other kind of follow-up of a previous action; “nach-“ can also indicate imitation or else a reduction, or lessening:
“nachahmen” (to imitate);
“nachbessern” (to touch up; to improve by making adjustments);
“nachbestellen” (to order more [of something]); “nachdrucken” (to reprint);
“nachempfinden / nachfühlen” (to empathize; to share feelings with);
um-
Separable
“um-“ can carry a variety of meanings including “around,” “down,” and “over.” It also can denote substantial sorts of change:
“umändern” (to change; to change around);
“umarbeiten” (to rework);
“umbenennen” (to rename);
“umblicken” (to look around);
“umbringen” (to kill); “umbuchen” (to re-book [travel plans]);
“umdenken” (to rethink; to revise one’s opinion);
vor-
Separable
“vor-“has the meanings “before,” “forward,” “pre-,” and “pro-“:
“vorbereiten” (to prepare);
“vorbringen” (to propose; to bring forward; to produce); ;
“vorfahren” (to drive on ahead; to drive up in front [of a building]);
“vorfallen” (to happen);
weg-
Separable
“weg-“ means “away”:
"wegbleiben" (to stay away); "wegbringen" (to take away); "wegfahren" (to drive off); "weggeben" (to give away); "weggehen" (to go away); "wegjagen" (to chase away); "wegkommen" (to get away);
