Verb Types

Question 1

What is a prefix verb?

Answer 1

Many common verbs in German are formed by combining a root verb with a prefix. e.g. kaufen (buy) … verkaufen (sell)

Question 2

What are the 2 types of verb prefixes?

Answer 2

Separable and inseparable.

Question 3

What happens to separable prefixes when a verb is conjugated?

Answer 3

It moves to the end of a sentence when the verb is conjugated.

Ich bringe morgen meinen Freund mit.

I’ll bring my friend along tomorrow.

Question 4

What happens to the prefix when the verb is not conjugated – when it’s used with a modal verb for example?

Answer 4

The prefix stays attached: Darf ich meinen Freund mitbringen? May I bring my friend along?

Question 5

There are 9 inseparable prefixes, what are they?

Answer 5

• be-
• emp-
• ent-
• er-
• ge-
• miss-
• ver-
• voll-
• zer-

Question 6

What are reflexive verbs?

Answer 6

A reflexive verb is one that refers back to the subject using a reflexive pronoun, as in “Give yourself a break!”

Question 7

Translate “I wash my hair”

Answer 7

Ich wasche mir die Haare.

Question 8

Translate “He cleans [brushes] his teeth”

Answer 8

Er putzt sich die Zähne.,

Question 9

What is a dative verb?

Answer 9

There are certain verbs in German that always put their object in the dative, even when there’s no preposition and it seems to be a direct object.

danken – to thank

Question 10

What are present participles?

Answer 10

They are verbs used as adjectives.

e.g. fließendes Wasser - running water

Question 11

What is a gerund?

Answer 11

A gerund is a verb used as a noun,

e.g Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung - The Taming of the Shrew