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Separable verbs

I.Theory and definition: Separable and Inseparable Verbs (present tense)

Check me!

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Miss Purrfect's

category.

" Help"

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Mr. Puddle: There are some verbs that are separable and/or inseparable depending on the next prefixes: durch-, hinter-, über-, um-, unter-, but I recommend you that you should learn the verbs by heart, it’s almost impossible to know the differences if you don’t have the experience.

Check me!

Lady Hairball: Es ist klar! Danke!

Check me!

He is destroying the house.

They forbid us everything.

Er zerstört das Haus.

Sie verbiten uns alles.

Sie wird alles missverstehen!

Ich gewinne das nächste Mal.

She will misunderstand everything!

I win next time.

zer

ver

miss

ge

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Inseparable verbs

Check me!

I don't want to experience that!

She cannot escape!

Ich will das nicht erleben!

Sie kann nicht entgehen!

Was können Sie uns empfehlen?

Sie bekommt kein Geschenk.

What can you recommend to us?

She doesn't get a present.

er

ent

emp

be

Check me!

I'll pick her up today

Should I throw this away?

Are you sending that?

No, I can't send it!

What are you making

I make toys.

I have to prepare myself!

I'm going back home!

The car drives off in 5 minutes.

We have to go!

She teaches us pottery.

She can't teach us pottery.

Which bus do I get on?

I have to get on this bus

We're getting off now!

Where do we have to get off?

Ich mache es nicht zu!

Soll ich das wegwerfen?

Ich muss mich vorbereiten!

Schickt du das hin?

Nein, Ich kann es nicht schicken!

Was stellst du her?

Ich stelle Spielwaren her.

Sie spricht das nach.

Sie kann das nicht nachsprechen.

Ich bringe das Geschenk mit!

Ich möchte das Geschenk mitbringen.

Ich gehe nach Hause zurück!

Das Auto fährt in 5 Minuten los.

Wir müssen losfahren!

Sie bringt uns Töpfern bei.

Sie kann uns keine Töpferei beibringen.

In welchem Bus steige ich ein?

Ich muss in diesen Bus einsteigen?

Wir aussteigen jetzt!

Wo müssen wir aussteigen?

Er gibt seinen Traum auf.

Er kann seinen Traum nicht aufgeben

Maya fängt morgen die Arbeit an.

Sie soll die Arbeit morgen anfangen.

Maya starts work tomorrow.

She should start work tomorrow.

She repeats that.

She cannot repeat that.

I'll bring the present!

I want to bring the present.

I'll pick her up today

I have to pick her up today

Ich hole sie heute ab

Ich muss sie heute abholen

zurück

zu

weg

vor

hin

her

nach

mit

los

bei

ein

aus

auf

an

ab

📘 über is mostly inseparable

übernachten = to spend the night somewhere

überleben = to survive

✔️ There are separable and inseparable verbs with different meanings

übersetzen = to translate (inseparable), to carry across (separable)

✔️ There are verbs always separable verbs with these prefixes

📘 um is often separable (it means change)

umbauen = to remodel

umdenken = to rethink

Separable and Inseparable verbs

The verbs with these prefixes are separable and/or inseparable

durch-, hinter-, über-, um-, unter-

These verbs are quite special, let’s see why:

✔️ There are verbs always inseparable verbs with these prefixes:

📘 unter is almost always inseparable ( it means down, bellow or it expresses the omission)

unterschreiben = to sign

sich unterhalten = to talk

Inseparable verbs: structure for present tense

✔️ These verbs are alike any other regular/ irregular verb:

Ich besuche meine Eltern.

I’m visiting my parents.

Ich kann nicht meine Eltern besuchen.

I can't visit my parents.

destruction

zerstören = to destroy

zerbrechen = to break into pieces

zerreißen = to tear up (to shred)

it sometimes has the opposite effect or overdoing something

verkaufen = to sell

verbiten = to forbid

verschlafen = to oversleep

the same as in English “-mis”

missverstehen = to misunderstand

missbrauch = to abuse

misstrauen = to mistrust

Result of something

gewinnen = to win

gebrauchen = to consume smth up

sich etwas gefallen = to like something

it signals the end of an action

erleben = to experience

erkennen = to recognize

erschießen = to shoot dead

it sometimes has the opposite effect

entgehen = to escape

entwerten = to avoid

entarten = to degenerate

reception/perception

empfehlen = to recommend

empfangen = to receive

empfinden = to perceive

the verb takes a direct object

beantworten = to answer

besuchen= to visit

bekommen = to get

zer

ver

miss

ge

er

ent

emp

be

Mr. Puddles category's

" I'm not even trying"

Lady Scam category's

" *vissible pain*"

Mrs. Diane Catalog

category's

" That's the last

category, right?. "

Mr. Kitty Hawk category's

" I hate this "

Miss Purrrplex category's

" Im purrrplexed. "

back

zurückgehen = to go back

zurückdrehen = to turn back

zurückgeben = to give back; to return

close, towards, to, off

zugehören = to belong to

zumachen = to close

zunehmen = o increase; to gain weight

before, forward, pre-, pro-

sich vorbereiten = to prepare oneself (mentally/intellectually/emotionally)

vorschlagen = to suggest

vorlegen = to present

there, motions away from the speaker

hintragen = to carry there

hinkommen = to get there

hinschicken = to send there

away

wegbringen = to take away

weggeben = to give away

wegwerfen = to throw away

here , motions towards the speaker

herkommen = to come from, here

herstellen = to produce

hertragen = to carry (something) here

*when attached to a motion verb - follow after, for other verbs “to imitate” to reduce”, otherwise it has a lot of other meaning

nachmachen = to imitate

nachsprechen = to repeat after

nachfolgen = to succeed

with, along

mitnehmen = to take along

mitbringen = to bring along

mitarbeiten = to collaborate . to work with

away, off

losfahren = to drive

loskriegen = to get rid off

loskommen = to get away

along, with

beitreten = to join

beibringen = to teach

beiwohnen = to be present at

in, into

einsteigen = to get on ( the bus, the train)

eintauschen = dive in

einladen = to invite

on, down, open, out, up

aufwachsen = grow up

aufschreiben = to write down

aufgeben = to give up

off, out, away

aussteigen = to get out (of the train/car/bus)

ausmachen = to turn off (tha radio, the tv)

ausbleiben = stay away

at, begin, on, to, from, toward

anfangen = to begin

anschauen = to look at

anziehen = to put on

away from, from

abfahren = to depart

abholen = to pick up (somebody)

abnehmen = to lose weight, to remove (take away)

zurück

zu

weg

vor

hin

her

nach

mit

los

bei

ein

auf

aus

an

ab

Inseparable verbs

✔️ There are specific endings for inseparable verbs

Separable verbs in German

✔️ There are specific endings for separable verbs

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Separable and Inseparable Verbs (present tense) in German

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Separable verbs: structure for present tense

✔️Only separable verbs

Ich lade dich zu meiner Geburtstagsfeier ein!

= I’m inviting you to my birthday party

✔️Separable verbs + modal verbs = aren’t separable anymore

Ich möchte dich zu meiner Geburtstagsfeier einladen!

= I want to invite you to my birthday!

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The first sentence will show you how to use these verbs in combinations with normal verbs, and the other one with the modal verbs.

Mrs. Purrplexed gives a tip!

He gives up his dream.

He cannot give up his dream.

✔️ Practical examples. Watch these sentences and follow the part of the speech. Try to feel the structure! After that, play with Mrs. Purrplexed!

V. Let's practice! - Separable and inseparable verbs in German

Mr. Puddle:

Basically, yes. The only exception is when we use modal verbs, then the separable verbs are inseparable and pushed at the end of the sentence.

Mr. Puddle: One should know that German has two types of verbs: separable and inseparable. The main distinction between these verbs is given by the specific prefixes: ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, bei-, ein-, los-, mit-, nach-, her-, hin-, vor-, weg-, zu-, zurück- for separable and be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, zer- for inseparable.

Lady Hairball: And it was still another category…

Lady Hairball:: Are separable verbs always “separable”?

Lady Hairball: What aspects are the most important about this lesson?

IV. Purrrfection explained! - Separable and inseparable verbs in German

✔️Try learning these verbs in pairs:

einsteigen (to get on) - aussteigen (to get off)

abnehmen (to lose weight) - zunehmen (to gain weight)

✔️Understand the prefixes:

zer - it refers to destruction

ver - it often means the opposition

bieten - to offer

verbiten - to forbid

✔️Practice the language by reading, listening (passive learning)

These verbs are commonly used in conversations, videos, newspapers, magazines; as long as you are exposed to all kinds of materials you’ll get used to them in no time.

III. Tips & Tricks : How to learn them easily? - Separable and inseparable verbs in German

II. Practical examples - Separable and inseparable verbs in German

The English phrasal verbs are similar to the German separable and inseparable verbs. In English, the addition of a preposition changes the meaning of the verb (as, for example : get - get up), whereas in German the addition of certain prefixes (um, an, aus etc) either change the meaning of the verb or form new verbs.