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Inseparable prefixes

Inseparable prefix verbs are verbs whose initial syllable is never detached from the verb root in any
tense or conjugated form. These are always unstressed syllables and usually, though not always,
are morphemes (i.e. units of meaning) that cannot stand as separate words. Prefixes that are always
inseparable are: be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, & zer-. The most common of these is ver-.

Though the meanings of these prefixes are not fixed, they encompass a range of connotations that
can be described in general categories. These delineations are not exhaustive and do not include
every possible meaning of a prefix, but can be helpful in understanding the gist of a verb.

Prefix Meaning Examples

be- 1) Makes intransitive verbs or verbs with zaubern - to do magic | bezaubern - to enchant
prepositional objects transitive, or shifts Ich beantworte die Frage. (Ich antworte auf die Frage.)
the action to a different object. Er beschenkt Sie. ( Er schenkt Ihnen etwas.)

2) Added to nouns to create verbs with die Nachricht message | benachrichtigen to notify
the idea of providing something. (Often - die Waffe weapon | bewaffnen to arm
ig- is added.)

3) Added to adjectives to create verbs ruhig quiet, still | beruhigen to calm


with the idea of bestowing that quality. taub numb | betäuben to numb, drug
(Often -ig- is added.) trüb dreary | betrüben to sadden

Note: Approximately 25% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with be-.

ent- 1) Added to verbs to convey the idea of fliehen to flee | entfliehen to escape, flee (from)
escaping or moving away. kommen to come | entkommen to escape, come away (from)

2) Creates verbs from nouns, adjectives, laden to load | entladen to unload


or verbs. Indicates the removal of decken to cover | entdecken to discover
something. fern far | entfernen to remove, delete
die Fessel chain | entfesseln to unchain
ent- often corresponds to English un-
, de- or dis-.

Note: Approximately 15% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with ent-.

emp- A variation of ent- that is used before fehlen to be lacking | empfehlen to recommend
some verb roots beginning with f. finden to find | empfinden to perceive, sense

er- 1) Creates verbs from nouns or other finden to find | erfinden to invent
verbs. Conveys the conclusion or end lernen to learn | erlernen to learn, acquire
achievement of an action. trinken to drink | ertrinken to drown

2) Creates verbs from adjectives. ganz whole | ergänzen to complete


Conveys the idea of becoming something niedrig low | erniedrigen to humiliate
or giving something a quality. Often adds neu new | erneuern to renew, revive
an umlaut to the root, where possible.

Note: Approximately 10% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with er-.
ge- ge- is rare as a verb prefix. It carries no fallen to fall | gefallen to be pleasing
distinct meaning. In many instances, the --- | geschehen to occur
root verb is linguistically extinct. --- | gelingen to succeed

miss- Like the English prefix mis-, the -- | misslingen to fail


German miss- indicates failure. It creates fallen to fall | missfallen to displease
a verb that stands as a negative opposite billigen to approve | missbilligen to disapprove
to its positive or neutral root. handeln to act | misshandeln to maltreat, abuse

ver- 1) Added to verbs to express idea of brennen to burn | verbrennen burn (to ashes, to death), scorch
completion, waning, or going away. hungern to be hungry | verhungern to starve
geben to give | vergeben to give away
jagen to hunt | verjagen to chase away

2) Added to verbs to express the idea of lernen to learn | verlernen to unlearn, forget
doing something to excess or wrongly, or führen to lead | verführen to seduce
to convey the opposite meaning from its achten to esteem | verachten to despise
root. bergen to salvage | verbergen to conceal, hide

3) Creates verbs from adjectives or nouns Deutsch | verdeutschen to translate into German
that convey the idea of becoming der Stein stone | versteinern to turn to stone
something or giving something a quality. die Ursache cause | verursachen to cause
einfach simple | vereinfachen to simplify
deutlich clear | verdeutlichen to elucidate

4) Creates verbs from nouns to convey das Silber silver | versilbern to silver plate
the idea of providing something. der Körper body | verkörpern to embody

Note: Approximately 45% of all inseparable prefix verbs begin with ver-.

zer- Creates verbs from nouns, adjectives, or das Glied member, limb | zergliedern to dismember
other verbs to indicate destruction, klein small | zerkleinern to reduce to small bits
usually "into pieces". stören to bother | zerstören to destroy
teilen to divide | zerteilen to disperse
Separable prefixes

Separable prefix verbs are verbs whose initial syllable is detached from the verb root in finite or
inflected forms. These are always stressed syllables and usually, though not always, are
morphemes (i.e. units of meaning) that can stand as separate words. These are most frequently
prepositions (e.g, ab, an, auf, aus, bei, mit, nach, statt, vor, zu) or adverbs
(e.g., fort, los, nieder, vorbei, weg, zurück, zusammen). However, nouns and adjectives can also
serve as separable prefixes (e.g., teilnehmen, festhalten).

Because the separable prefixes are typically words with distinct meanings, their meanings as
prefixes are often more stable and predictable than the connotations of the inseparable prefixes.
Nonetheless, the possible meanings given below are not exhaustive; they are meant as a general
reference. Here are some of the more common separable prefixes and their frequent meanings.

Prefix Meaning Examples

ab- Conveys "away", "down", "off", with fliegen to fly | abfliegen to depart (of airplane)
the idea of finishing or completing an nehmen to take | abnehmen to take down/off
action

an- Conveys "at", "on", or the idea of lächeln to smile | anlächeln to smile at
starting an action or doing something schauen to look | anschauen to look at
partially. probieren to try | anprobieren to try on
tasten to touch | antasten to touch on
trinken to drink | antrinken to start drinking

auf- Conveys "up" or the idea of a sudden klären- to clarify | aufklären to clear up
start 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- Conveys "out" with the idea of gleichen to equal | ausgleichen to even out
completing an action rufen to call | ausrufen to cry out
radieren to erase | ausradieren to erase (completely)

ein- Derived from the preposition "in". atmen to breathe | einatmen to inhale
Conveys "in" or the idea of getting used leiten to lead | einleiten to introduce
to something spielen to play | einspielen to warm up

los- Conveys "away" or the idea of fahren to drive | losfahren to set out (on a trip)
beginning something reißen to rip | losreißen to tear away
werden to become | loswerden to get rid of

mit- Conveys "along", "away", or the idea of nehmen to take | mitnehmen to take along
accompanying or cooperating singen to sing | mitsingen to join in singing
machen to do | mitmachen to participate

vor- Conveys the idea of demonstrating, schreiben to write | vorschreiben to stipulate


going forward, or preceding singen to sing | vorsingen to sing to
wärmen to warm | vorwärmen to preheat
weg- Conveys "away" schicken to send | wegschicken to send away
führen to lead | wegführen to lead away

zurück- Conveys "back", the idea of returning denken to think | zurückdenken to think back
reisen to travel | zurückreisen to travel back

zusammen- Conveys "up" or "together", the idea of schrumpfen to shrink | zusammenschrumpfen to shrivel up
reducing to a focal point kleben to adhere | zusammenkleben to stick together
brechen to break | zusammenbrechen to collapse, cave in

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