Prefixes
All verbs with one prefix on one page: what the prefix adds to the verb and which verbs it has
Separable33
- ab-48 wordsSomething comes off or goes away: leave, take off, cancel. ab- also finishes a job, like drying the dishes.
- an-53 wordsThe action reaches its goal and touches it: arrive, touch, call. From there come starting and switching on: begin, turn on the light.
- auf-43 wordsMovement up and opening: get up, lift, open the door. auf- also finishes a job: tidy the room, stop.
- aus-45 wordsMovement from inside out: go out, move out of a flat, switch off the light. aus- also means «to the end»: spend all the money, endure.
- bei-6 wordsaudioSomething is added alongside: enclose with a letter, contribute your share, join a club, teach someone.
- bereit-1 wordaudioSomething is prepared in advance and waits at hand: the documents are already lying ready.
- bevor-1 wordaudioAn event already stands before us and is about to come: the exam is close, a hard week lies ahead.
- dar-4 words
- ein-38 wordsMovement in: go in, get on a bus, move into a flat. ein- also switches on and invites: turn on, invite guests.
- entgegen-2 wordsaudioMovement towards someone or something: go to meet, give way, work against.
- entlang-1 wordaudioMovement along something: walk along the river, down the street, along the shore.
- fest-7 wordsaudioSomething is fixed or decided for good: hold tight, set a date, establish, get stuck.
- fort-3 wordsaudioThe action goes on: continue the work.
- frei-2 wordsaudioSomething becomes free: give access, clear a space.
- her-15 wordsaudioMovement here, towards the speaker: come, bring, put. her- also means «produce».
- heraus-7 wordsaudioMovement out, towards the speaker: take out, pull out. heraus- also means «turn out»: it turned out that…
- herein-1 wordaudio
- herum-3 wordsaudioMovement around, or doing nothing in particular: lie around, sit idle, carry around.
- herunter-3 wordsaudioMovement down, towards the speaker: download a file, shut down the computer.
- hinauf-1 wordaudio
- hinaus-1 wordaudioMovement out, away from the speaker: look out of the window.
- hinzu-2 wordsaudioSomething is added to what is already there: add, join a group.
- los-5 wordsaudioMovement off the spot: set off, get down to work. los- also means getting rid of something.
- mit-16 wordsaudioDoing something together or taking it along: go together, take along, bring, take part.
- nach-13 wordsThe action follows or repeats: catch up, repeat, check, think over, give in.
- nieder-1 wordaudioMovement down, to the ground: suppress, knock down.
- vor-22 wordsThe action goes forward or ahead of time: prepare, suggest, introduce, read aloud, plan to.
- vorbei-2 wordsaudioMovement past: walk or drive past. vorbei- also means dropping by.
- weg-18 wordsaudioMovement away: leave, take away, put away, look away, set aside.
- weiter-9 wordsaudioThe action goes on or is passed on: continue, forward a letter, pass on, move ahead.
- zu-18 wordsSomething is closed, or the action is aimed at someone: close, listen, watch, agree, inflict.
- zurück-27 wordsaudioMovement back: return, give back, bring back. zurück- also means stepping down from a post.
- zusammen-8 wordsaudioDoing something together: get together, fold, put together from parts, sit together.
Inseparable8
- be-77 wordsThe action goes straight at a person or thing, with no preposition: discuss a problem, describe, visit a friend, pay a bill.
- emp-3 wordsaudioThis is ent- written before the letter f: receive, welcome guests, recommend.
- ent-18 wordsSomething is removed or undone: delete, unpack, unlock. ent- also means slipping away or coming into being.
- er-41 wordsThe action leads to a result: reach a goal, master, find out, invent, guess, heat up.
- miss-2 wordsaudio
- ver-88 wordsMost often the action goes wrong or something disappears: lose, mix up. ver- also changes a state: improve, sell.
- wider-2 wordsaudioThe action against someone or something: object, resist.
- zer-5 wordsaudioSomething breaks into pieces: smash, destroy, take apart, fall apart, trample.
Separable and inseparable6
- durch-10 wordsaudioMovement right through, or a job carried to the end: walk through a forest, endure, look through papers, get your way.
- hin-16 wordsMovement there, away from the speaker: take there, put down, sit down, look, point out a mistake.
- über-27 wordsThe action goes across or over something: translate, overtake, convince, overlook. It separates only for a real movement across.
- um-17 wordsMovement around, or a change: change seats, move house, rearrange, get changed, turn over.
- unter-17 wordsThe action under something or among people: sign, support, teach, talk. It separates only for a real «under».
- wieder-4 wordsThe action happens again. In «repeat» the prefix stays attached, in «restore» it separates.