List of Prefixes

Let us have a more systematic look at the words that can become separable prefixes, including prepositions, adverbs of direction, nouns, adverbs of quality, and verb infinitives. Then we will glance at the common inseparable prefixes.

As you can see, German likes complex words. Many of these prefixes are still 'active', so that speakers of today can use them to build new verbs.

The verbs of this kind we have learned so far use, for the most part, prepositions as a prefix.

1. The prepositions most commonly used as prefixes are:

ab-; an-; auf-; aus-; bei-; ein- (in-); mit-; nach-; vor-; zu-; durch-; um-; über-; unter-; entgegen-; gegenüber-; entlang-

2. Equally common are prefixed adverbs which indicate a direction or a location. Here are some of them:

her-; hin-; hinab-; herab-; heran-; herauf-; hinauf-; herbei-; herum-; voraus-; vorbei-; vorüber-; nieder-; aufwärts-; abwärts-; rückwärts-, vorwärts-, fort-

her- means in general that the movement is directed toward the speaker or observer

hin- means in general that the movement is directed away from the speaker or observer

hinauf- / herauf- means from below to the top: hinaufgehen; heraufkommen
hinunter- / herunter- / hinab- / herab- means from above to the bottom: hinuntergehen
hinein- / herein- means from the outside to the inside: hineingehen, hereinkommen
hinaus- / heraus- means from the inside to the outside: hinausgehen, herauskommen
heran- / herbei- indicates an approach: herangehen, herankommen
herum- means 'in a circle' or "around": herumgehen
hinüber- / herüber- means 'crossing a border': hinübergehen, herüberkommen
hindurch- means passing inside something: hindurchgehen
hinzu- means to approach someone or to add something: hinzugehen, hinzugeheben
vorbei- / vorüber- means passing by someone or something vorbeigehen

In spoken German, the "her-" in these prefixes is often abbreviated to an "r-".

Instead of: herauf, herein, herüber, herunter, herauf

one says: rauf, rein, rüber, runter, rauf.

Example: reinkommen

3. Complex verbs can also be formed by a verb and a noun. In this case the noun also separates when the verb is in present or past tense or an imperative form.

Examples:

danksagen = to say thanks	er sagt dank
teilnehmen = to partake	sie nimmt an diesem Ausflug teil
radfahren = to ride a bike	ich fahre Rad
autofahren = to drive a car	ich fahre Auto
stattfinden = to take place	es findet statt
eislaufen = to skate	wir laufen Eis
haltmachen = to take a break, to stop	sie machen halt
kopfstehen = to stand on one's head	sie steht Kopf
maschinenschreiben = to type	ich schreibe Maschine

4. Complex verbs can also be formed by a verb and an adverb. As with a noun prefix, the adverb prefix separates when the verb is in present or past tense or an imperative form.

Examples:

auseinandersetzen = to explain	er setzt es uns auseinander
beiseitelegen = to put aside	er legt es beiseite
durcheinanderkommen = to get confused	er kommt durcheinander
fernsehen = to watch TV	er sieht fern
feststellen = to ascertain, to find out	ich stelle fest
leertrinken = to empty (by drinking)	er trinkt die Tasse leer
liebgewinnen = to grow fond of	sie gewinnt ihn lieb
losbinden = to untie, to free	sie bindet ihn los
stillegen = to shut down	sie legt die Firma still
übelnehmen = to take offence	ich nehme es ihr übel
übrigbleiben = to to be left	nichts bleibt übrig
weitermachen = to continue	mach weiter
zurückgeben = to give back	er gibt den Computer zurück
zurückkommen = to come back	er kommt zurück
zusammenwohnen = to live together	sie wohnen zusammen

5. Complex verbs can also be formed by two verbs. The first one, in its infinitive form, functions like a separable prefix.

Examples:

stehenbleiben = to stand still	sie bleibt stehen
kennenlernen = to get to know	ich lerne dich kennen
verlorengehen = to get lost	er geht verloren
spazierengehen = go for a walk	ich gehe spazieren
sitzenbleiben = to remain seated, to stay back a class	sie bleibt sitzen
gefangennehmen = to arrest	er nimmt ihn gefangen
fallenlassen = to drop something	er lässt den Teller fallen

Since we are talking about prefixes, let me say something about the inseparable prefixes.

The most commonly used are:

ver- (45%); be-(25%); ent-(15); er-( 10); zer-(4%)

These inseparable prefixes are seldom used:

ge-; emp-; hinter-; voll-, wider-; miss-

As we already said: verbs with inseparable prefixes have usually a meaning which is totally different from the simple verb. The prefix does not have a special meaning of its own that you need to memorize.