🎓 Master Separable Verbs
Practice 80+ separable verbs with audio, quizzes, and medical terminology for FSP exam prep.
📖 Theory
What is a separable verb?
These are verbs which are made up of two parts: a prefix and the infinitive of a verb. For example: auf + stehen → aufstehen 'to get up'.
Comparison with English
Separable verbs are comparable to English phrasal verbs, which consist of an infinitive plus an adverb or preposition: 'to get up', 'to get on', etc.
Prefixes go at the end
When a separable verb is in the present tense, the prefix is usually separated from the finite form of the verb and goes to the end of the sentence:
🔧 Visual Verb Splitter Tool
Click "Split Verb" to see how the prefix moves to the end!
Important separable verbs
| ab | from/away | abfahren (to depart) |
|---|---|---|
| ab | from/away | abholen (to pick up) |
| ab | from/away | abwaschen (to do the washing up) |
| an | at/on | anfangen (to start) |
| an | at/on | ankommen (to arrive) |
| an | at/on | anrufen (to phone) |
| auf | up/on | aufhören (to stop) |
| auf | up/on | aufräumen (to tidy up) |
| auf | up/on | aufstehen (to get up) |
| aus | out | ausgehen (to go out) |
| ein | in | einkaufen (to go shopping) |
| ein | in | einladen (to invite) |
| ein | in | einschlafen (to fall asleep) |
| fern | far/distant | fernsehen (to watch television) |
| sauber | clean | saubermachen (to clean) |
| statt | instead | stattfinden (to take place) |
| vor | before | vorbereiten (to prepare) |
| vor | before | sich vorstellen (to introduce oneself) |
Separable verbs in two clauses
When a sentence consists of two clauses, the split-off prefix goes to the end of the relevant clause. This may not necessarily be at the end of the sentence.
🔄 Two-Clause Visualizer
I get up and then I have breakfast.
Mr Carlsen is watching television, but his children are reading.
Verbs can have more than one prefix
A verb often takes more than one prefix. Here are examples of the many different meanings that the verb kommen 'to come' has when combined with a prefix:
- ankommen (to arrive)
- mitkommen (to come along)
- weiterkommen (to get on)
- hereinkommen (to come in)
- herauskommen (to come out)
- nachkommen (to come later)
- zurückkommen (to come back)
Common separable vs inseparable prefixes
Separable Prefixes
ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, ein-, mit-, nach-, vor-, zu-, zurück-, hin-, her-, fern-, statt-
These separate from the verb and go to the end of the clause.
Inseparable Prefixes
be-, er-, ge-, ver-, ent-, emp-, miss-, zer-
These stay attached to the verb and never separate.
Tip: You can find out whether a verb is separable by checking in a good dictionary. After the main entry, it will say 'sep.' if it is separable.