11.6 Separable verb prefixes

Makes verbs from verbs with the idea of ‘wrongly’ or ‘to excess’:

verbiegen verlernen versalzen

bend out of shape

← biegen forget how to do (unlearn) ← lernen over-salt (put excessive salt on) ← salzen

Makes verbs from nouns or adjectives to express a change of state (i.e. ‘becoming sth.’ or

‘making sb. sth.’):

versklaven verlängern vereinfachen

enslave lengthen simplify ← der Sklave ← länger ← einfach

Makes verbs from nouns with the idea of providing somebody or something with something:

verglasen verzaubern

glaze (provide with glass) ← das Glas enchant (make magical) ← der Zauber

Zer-

Makes verbs from verbs with the idea of ‘in pieces’:

zerbeißen zerfallen

bite into pieces fall to pieces, disintegrate ← beißen ← fallen

Verbs can be formed from other verbs by SEPARABLEPREFIXES (see also 6.4). Most separable verb prefixes come from PREPOSITIONS or simple ADVERBS, and their meaning when linked with a root verb is often quite obvious, e.g. abfahren ‘drive away’, hinauslaufen ‘run out’, mitkommen ‘come with sb.’.

These prefixes are stressed. In the simple tenses (PRESENT, PAST), the prefix separates from the verb ROOT if it is in a main clause, and is placed at the end of the clause. In the PASTPARTICIPLE the syllable ge- is inserted between the prefix and the verb. In INFINITIVECLAUSES (see 10.6), zu is inserted between the prefix and the verb.

Er lief im Schlafanzug hinaus. He ran outside in his pyjamas. Sie hat vorgeschlagen ihn heute abend einzuladen. She suggested inviting him this evening.