Master German Separable Verbs (Trennbare Verben)

Introduction

German separable verbs, known as trennbare Verben, are a unique and essential aspect of the German language. These verbs consist of a prefix and a base verb, and the prefix can detach and move to the end of the sentence in certain contexts. Understanding separable verbs is crucial for proper communication in German. This guide will explain what separable verbs are and how to conjugate them in different tenses.

What Are German Separable Verbs?

Separable verbs are verbs that combine a common verb with a prefix, altering the verb’s meaning. The prefix can separate from the base verb and move to the end of the sentence, especially in the present and simple past tenses. The meaning of the verb often changes significantly with the addition of the prefix.

Example: anrufen (to call up)

• Ich rufe dich an. – I call you.

Common Separable Prefixes

Prefix	Meaning	Example Verb	English Translation
ab-	off, away	abfahren	to depart
an-	on, at	anfangen	to begin
auf-	up, open	aufmachen	to open
aus-	out	ausgehen	to go out
ein-	in, into	einladen	to invite
mit-	with	mitkommen	to come along
nach-	after	nachfragen	to inquire
vor-	before, forward	vorstellen	to introduce
zu-	to, closed	zumachen	to close
zurück-	back	zurückgeben	to give back

Example Sentences with Separable Prefixes

• Ich lade dich zum Essen ein. – I invite you to dinner.
• Er stellt sich vor. – He introduces himself.
• Wir machen das Fenster auf. – We open the window.

Conjugation of Separable Verbs in the Present Tense (Präsens)

In the present tense, the separable prefix detaches from the base verb and moves to the end of the sentence.

Person	Conjugation of anrufen	English Translation
ich	rufe an	I call
du	rufst an	you call
er/sie/es	ruft an	he/she/it calls
wir	rufen an	we call
ihr	ruft an	you call
sie/Sie	rufen an	they call / you call

Example Sentences in the Present Tense

• Ich rufe meine Mutter an. – I call my mother.
• Rufst du deinen Freund an? – Are you calling your friend?
• Sie ruft den Arzt an. – She calls the doctor.

For more details on the present tense, see our article on the German Present Tense.

Conjugation of Separable Verbs in the Present Perfect Tense (Perfekt)

In the present perfect tense, the separable prefix remains attached to the past participle. The auxiliary verbs haben or sein are used.

Person	Auxiliary Verb	Past Participle of einladen	English Translation
ich	habe	eingeladen	I have invited
du	hast	eingeladen	you have invited
er/sie/es	hat	eingeladen	he/she/it has invited
wir	haben	eingeladen	we have invited
ihr	habt	eingeladen	you have invited
sie/Sie	haben	eingeladen	they have invited / you have invited

Example Sentences in the Present Perfect Tense

• Ich habe meine Freunde eingeladen. – I have invited my friends.
• Hast du sie zur Party eingeladen? – Have you invited her to the party?
• Er hat uns zum Abendessen eingeladen. – He has invited us to dinner.

For more on the perfect tense, read our guide on the German Perfect Tense.

Conjugation of Separable Verbs in the Simple Past Tense (Präteritum)

The simple past tense is often used in written narratives and formal speech. For separable verbs, the prefix remains attached to the base verb in this tense.

Person	Conjugation of ausgehen	English Translation
ich	ging aus	I went out
du	gingst aus	you went out
er/sie/es	ging aus	he/she/it went out
wir	gingen aus	we went out
ihr	gingt aus	you went out
sie/Sie	gingen aus	they went out / you went out

Example Sentences in the Simple Past Tense

• Ich ging gestern Abend aus. – I went out last night.
• Gingst du mit ihnen aus? – Did you go out with them?
• Sie ging früh aus. – She went out early.

Learn more in our article on the German Simple Past Tense.

Conjugation of Separable Verbs in the Past Perfect Tense (Plusquamperfekt)

The past perfect tense describes actions that had occurred before another past event. It is formed with the simple past of the auxiliary verb and the past participle.

Person	Auxiliary Verb (Simple Past)	Past Participle of mitkommen	English Translation
ich	war	mitgekommen	I had come along
du	warst	mitgekommen	you had come along
er/sie/es	war	mitgekommen	he/she/it had come along
wir	waren	mitgekommen	we had come along
ihr	wart	mitgekommen	you had come along
sie/Sie	waren	mitgekommen	they had come along / you had come along

Example Sentences in the Past Perfect Tense

• Ich war mit ihnen mitgekommen. – I had come along with them.
• Warst du schon mitgekommen? – Had you already come along?
• Er war nicht mitgekommen. – He had not come along.

Learn more about the past perfect tense in our article on the German Past Perfect Tense.

Conjugation of Separable Verbs in the Future I Tense (Futur I)

The future I tense is used to talk about actions that will happen. It is formed with the auxiliary verb werden and the infinitive form of the main verb.

Person	Auxiliary Verb	Main Verb (vorstellen)	English Translation
ich	werde	vorstellen	I will introduce
du	wirst	vorstellen	you will introduce
er/sie/es	wird	vorstellen	he/she/it will introduce
wir	werden	vorstellen	we will introduce
ihr	werdet	vorstellen	you will introduce
sie/Sie	werden	vorstellen	they will introduce / you will introduce

Example Sentences in the Future I Tense

• Ich werde dich meinen Eltern vorstellen. – I will introduce you to my parents.
• Wirst du dich der Klasse vorstellen? – Will you introduce yourself to the class?
• Sie wird uns das neue Projekt vorstellen. – She will introduce the new project to us.

For more on the future tense, see our guide on the German Future I Tense.

Conjugation of Separable Verbs in the Future II Tense (Futur II)

The future II tense expresses actions that will have been completed in the future. It is formed with werden, the past participle, and the auxiliary verb sein or haben in infinitive form.

Person	Auxiliary Verb	Past Participle of zurückkommen	Auxiliary Verb (Infinitive)	English Translation
ich	werde	zurückgekommen	sein	I will have returned
du	wirst	zurückgekommen	sein	you will have returned
er/sie/es	wird	zurückgekommen	sein	he/she/it will have returned
wir	werden	zurückgekommen	sein	we will have returned
ihr	werdet	zurückgekommen	sein	you will have returned
sie/Sie	werden	zurückgekommen	sein	they will have returned / you will have returned

Example Sentences in the Future II Tense

• Bis nächste Woche werde ich zurückgekommen sein. – By next week, I will have returned.
• Wirst du bis morgen zurückgekommen sein? – Will you have returned by tomorrow?
• Er wird von der Reise zurückgekommen sein. – He will have returned from the trip.

To learn more about the future perfect tense, read our article on the German Future II Tense.

Conclusion

Understanding German separable verbs is essential for constructing accurate sentences. Recognizing the prefixes and knowing when they separate from the base verb will improve your fluency. Practice conjugating different separable verbs in various tenses to become more comfortable with their usage.

For a comprehensive overview of German tenses, visit our guide on German Tenses Explained.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a verb is separable?

Look at the prefix of the verb. Common separable prefixes include ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, ein-, mit-, nach-, vor-, zu-, and zurück-. These prefixes indicate a separable verb.

When does the prefix separate from the verb?

The prefix separates in main clauses in the present and simple past tenses. It moves to the end of the sentence or clause.

Do separable verbs remain attached in the infinitive form?

Yes, in the infinitive form, separable verbs remain attached, such as anrufen, einladen, or aufstehen.

How are separable verbs used in subordinate clauses?

In subordinate clauses, the prefix usually remains attached to the verb and the conjugated verb moves to the end of the clause.

Are there verbs with inseparable prefixes?

Yes, German also has inseparable prefixes like be-, ent-, er-, ver-, and zer-. These prefixes do not separate from the base verb. You can get more detailed information about German inseparable verbs: here.