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Word formation COMMON SEPARABLE PREFIXES
ab-
away, down or off
absetzen put down abdrehen switch off
an-
at, on, starting, approaching or doing something partially
anreden address (speak to/at) andrehen switch on
auf-
up, on, open, or a sudden start
aufessen eat up auflachen burst out laughing
aus-
out, off, from, often the completion of an action
ausbrennen burn out ausdorren dry up
ein-
in(to), become accustomed to sth.
einfahren run in (new car) sich einleben settle down
entgegen-
towards
entgegenkommen come towards
fort-
away
fortbleiben stay away
hinzu-
in addition
hinzusagen add (say in addition)
los-
off, setting out
losgehen set off, start
mit-
with
mitarbeiten cooperate
nach-
after, often imitating or repeating
nachmachen copy, do the same
vor-
ahead, forward, demonstrating
vorgehen go on ahead vormachen show sb. how to do sth.
weg-
away
weglaufen run away
zu-
to, towards, closing
zusehen look at/towards, watch zumachen shut
zurück-
back
zurückfahren drive back
zusammen-
together, up, down
zusammensetzen put together zusammenfalten fold up zusammenbrechen collapse
11.7 Variable verb prefixes A few prefixes can be used to form SEPARABLE or INSEPARABLE VERBS. There is usually a difference in meaning, with the separable verb tending to have the more concrete, physical meaning. The separable prefix is stressed (e.g. 'übersetzen, ‘ferry across, cross (water)’) whereas the inseparable prefix is unstressed (e.g. über'setzen, ‘translate’).
Durch SEPARABLE verbs with durch- usually have the idea of ‘all the way through’: 'durchblicken 'durchfallen
look through fall through, fail
'durchfahren 'durchrosten
drive (right) through rust through
