German Separable Verbs — The Complete Guide
What Makes a Verb Separable
German separable verbs (trennbare Verben) consist of a base verb plus a prefix that is stressed and carries the meaning weight. The prefix is typically a preposition or adverb: auf- (up/open), ab- (off/down), an- (on/at), aus- (out), ein- (in), mit- (with), nach- (after), vor- (before/forward), zu- (to/closed), zurück- (back), weiter- (further). When you see anrufen (to call someone), the an- is the stressed prefix and rufen is the base verb (to call/shout). Aufmachen (to open) combines auf- (up/open) and machen (to make/do). Mitkommen (to come along) combines mit- (with) and kommen (to come). The separable prefix modifies or specifies the meaning of the base verb, often in a predictable way — but some combinations are idiomatic and must be learned as units. The key linguistic fact: in a main clause, the prefix separates and goes to the end of the sentence.
The Split Rule — Prefix Goes to the End
In main clauses (simple sentences and coordinated clauses), the separable prefix detaches from the verb and moves to the final position of the clause. The conjugated verb stays in second position. Anrufen → Ich rufe dich an (I call you — note 'an' at the end). Aufmachen → Er macht das Fenster auf (he opens the window — 'auf' goes to the end). Mitkommen → Sie kommt mit (she comes along — 'mit' at the end). This creates the distinctive German sentence frame (Satzklammer or verbal bracket) where elements of the verb surround the rest of the sentence. The split applies in all tenses where a finite verb appears: present, simple past (Imperfekt), and with modal verbs. With modals, the separable verb stays unsplit in infinitive form at the end: Ich muss dich anrufen (I must call you — anrufen stays together as infinitive, pushed to the end by the modal). In perfect tense, ge- is inserted between prefix and stem: angerufen, aufgemacht, mitgekommen.
30 Essential Separable Verbs with Example Sentences
Here are 30 high-frequency separable verbs organized by prefix. AN- prefix: anrufen (to call) — Ich rufe dich morgen an; ankommen (to arrive) — Der Zug kommt um 8 an; anfangen (to begin) — Die Stunde fängt jetzt an; anmachen (to turn on) — Machst du das Licht an? AUF- prefix: aufmachen (to open) — Er macht die Tür auf; aufstehen (to get up) — Ich stehe um 7 auf; aufhören (to stop) — Hör mit dem Lärm auf; aufräumen (to tidy up) — Sie räumt ihr Zimmer auf. AB- prefix: abfahren (to depart) — Der Zug fährt um 9 ab; abholen (to pick up) — Ich hole dich ab; absagen (to cancel) — Er sagt das Treffen ab. AUS- prefix: ausgehen (to go out) — Wir gehen heute Abend aus; ausschalten (to switch off) — Schalte den Computer aus; aussteigen (to get off) — Ich steige hier aus. EIN- prefix: einsteigen (to board) — Steigen Sie bitte ein; einladen (to invite) — Ich lade dich ein; einkaufen (to shop) — Sie kauft jeden Samstag ein. MIT- prefix: mitkommen (to come along) — Kommst du mit?; mitnehmen (to take along) — Kannst du das mitnehmen?. VOR- prefix: vorstellen (to introduce/imagine) — Ich stelle mich vor; vorschlagen (to suggest) — Was schlägst du vor?. ZU- prefix: zumachen (to close) — Mach bitte die Tür zu; zunehmen (to gain weight/increase) — Die Preise nehmen zu. ZURÜCK- prefix: zurückkommen (to come back) — Wann kommst du zurück?; zurückgeben (to give back) — Gib mir das bitte zurück. WEITER- prefix: weitermachen (to continue) — Macht bitte weiter; weitergehen (to continue walking) — Wir gehen weiter.
Inseparable Verbs — The Non-Splitting Prefixes
Not all German verb prefixes cause separation. The inseparable prefixes be-, ge-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent-, emp-, and miss- are unstressed and never split from the verb. They also do not take ge- in the past participle. Verstehen (to understand) → Ich verstehe (I understand) — never Ich stehe ver; Vergessen (to forget) → Ich vergesse (I forget); Bekommen (to receive) → Ich bekomme (I receive); Erzählen (to tell/narrate) → Er erzählt (he narrates); Bezahlen (to pay) → Sie bezahlt (she pays). These prefixes also shift word stress to the verb stem rather than the prefix, which is the acoustic signal that helps you identify them. Some prefixes are dual-use — they can be separable or inseparable depending on the verb and meaning: durch-, über-, um-, unter-, wider-, wieder-. For example, übersetzen can mean both to translate (inseparable: Er übersetzt den Text) and to ferry across (separable: Er setzt uns über). Context and stress pattern determine meaning.
Word Order in Subordinate Clauses
In subordinate clauses (introduced by dass, weil, wenn, obwohl, and other subordinating conjunctions), the entire verb — prefix and stem together — moves to the end of the clause. The prefix and stem reunite because the conjugated verb goes to the end. Main clause: Ich rufe dich an (I call you). Subordinate clause: Ich weiß, dass ich dich anrufe (I know that I call you — anrufe reunited at the end). Main clause: Er macht das Fenster auf. Subordinate clause: Weil er das Fenster aufmacht, ist es kalt (because he opens the window, it is cold — aufmacht reunited). With modal verbs in subordinate clauses, the word order is: object + infinitive + modal: Ich weiß, dass ich dich anrufen muss (I know that I must call you). This sentence-final verb cluster is one of the features that makes German subordinate clauses feel long and complex to English speakers — the key is to listen all the way to the end of every German sentence before interpreting its meaning.
You might also like
German Grammar Cases Explained: Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, Genitiv
German cases confuse most learners — but they follow clear, learnable patterns. Master the four case…
Read more →German Cases Explained — Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive
German's 4 cases are the #1 challenge for learners. This guide explains each case with a clear rule,…
Read more →Korean Honorifics: Your Complete Guide to Formal and Informal Speech
Korean honorifics are not optional extras — they are built into the grammar and affect every sentenc…
Read more →Start practicing Chinese for free on Unox
Conversation practice, anytime. No credit card required.
Learn Chinese Free