Grammatik
Trennbare Präfixe und ihre Bedeutungen

The prefix "ab-" usually - but not always - carries the notion of "away from":

• abbrechen (to break off)

• abfahren (to drive off; to depart [by car])

• abhängen von (to be dependent on)

• ablenken (to divert)

• abnehmen (to remove; to take away / to lose weight)

• abschaffen (to do away with)

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The prefix "an-" usually carries the meanings "at," "begin," "on," "onward," "to," or "toward":

• anfahren (to drive up; to arrive [by car])

• anfangen (to begin)

• anhaben (to have on, wear)

• anhalten (to cause to stop)

• ankommen (to arrive)

• anzünden (to ignite)

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The prefix "auf-" adds the meanings "on," "open," "out," "up," or "un-":

• aufbauen (to build up)

• aufessen (to eat up)

• aufklären (to enlighten)

• aufmachen (to open)

• aufpassen (to look, to watch out)

• aufwachsen (to grow up)

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The prefix "aus-" adds the meanings "out," "outward," "extended," "completely," "missing":

• ausbilden (to train)

• ausdiskutieren (to discuss thoroughly)

• ausfallen (to fail, to drop out; to be canceled)

• ausfüllen (to fill out [a form])

• ausmachen (to turn off; to extinguish; to make a difference)

• sich ausschlafen (to get a good sleep)

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The prefix "auseinander-" has the sense of "apart":

• auseinanderbekommen (to manage to get apart")

• auseinanderbrechen (to break up; to break apart)

• auseinanderfallen (to fall apart)

• auseinandergehen (to part; to disperse)

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The prefix "bei-" has the meanings of "along" or "with":

• beibringen (to teach)

• beitragen (to contribute [to])

• beitreten (to join)

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The prefixes "da-" and "dabei-" mean "there" — "dabei-" has the sense of staying with something that is going on:

• dabeibleiben (to stay there; to stick with)

• dabeisein (to be present at; to take part in)

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"durch-" has the meaning of entering a process with purpose and coming out the other end:

• durcharbeiten (to work through)

• durchbrechen (to break through)

• durchgehen (to walk through)

• durchführen (to implement; to carry out [a task])

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"ein-" has the meanings of "in", "into", "inward":

• einatmen (to inhale)

• einbiegen (to turn in)

• einbrechen (to break in; to cave in)

• einkaufen (to shop)

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"entgegen-" means "toward" or "against":

• entgegenkommen (to approach; to accommodate; to meet halfway)

• entgegennehmen (to accept or receive)

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"entlang-" means "along". It can be affixed to just about any verb of motion.

• entlanggehen, entlanglaufen (to go/walk along)

 

"entzwei-" means "asunder", "in half", "into two pieces":

• entzweibrechen (to break in two)

• entzweigehen (to come apart)

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"fehl-" has the sense of "wrong" or "false". It more often affixed to nouns (e.g. "die Fehlanzeige" [indication error], "die Fehlplanung" [bad planning]; "der Fehlschlag" [error; miss]; "der Fehltritt" [false step]). But there are also some verbs:

• fehlgehen (to go wrong)

• fehlstarten (to make a false start)

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"fern-" means "far" and corresponds to the English "tele-". It more often affixed to nouns (e.g. "die Fernbahn" [long-distance rail]; "der Fernsprecher" [telephone]; "der Fernfahrer" [long-haul truck driver]; "das Ferngespräch" [long-distance phone call]; "das Fernrohr" [telescope]). But there are also some verbs:

• fernsehen (to watch television)

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"fest-" means "firm" or "fixed". It often appears as an adverb or adjective (e.g. "fest glauben" [to believe firmly]). Not to be confused with "das Fest", as in "das Festessen" (banquet; feast).

• festhalten (to hold on firmly)

• festlegen (to establish)

• festnehmen (to arrest)

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"fort-" means "away," "forth," or "onward" [as in "continuing"].

• sich fortbewegen (to move along; to move on)

• fortbilden (to continue [one's] education)

• sich fortentwickeln (to continue to develop)

• fortfahren (to continue)

• fortsetzen (to continue; to carry on with; to resume)

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"frei-" means "free" or "clear":

• freigeben (to release [a prisoner]; to allow [a currency] to float)

• freihalten (to keep clear [not block])

• freikämpfen (to liberate)

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"gegenüber-" means "across from," "opposite":

• gegenüberliegen (to face, to be across from)

• gegenüberstehen (to stand facing; to be confronted with)

• gegenüberstellen (to confront, to compare).

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"gleich-" means "equal":

• gleichbleiben (to stay the same)

• gleichmachen (to make equal)

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"heim-" means "(to) home":

• heimfahren (to drive home)

• heimgehen (to go/walk home)

• heimkehren (to return home)

• heimkommen" (to come home)

"her-" indicates motion toward the speaker, "hither":

• herkommen (to come here; to come from)

• herstellen (to manufacture; to produce)

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"hoch-," when affixed to a verb, indicates an upward motion or position:

• hochklettern (to climb up)

 

"los-" can indicate the beginning of an action or carry the sense of "away / off" or "un-":

• losfahren (to drive off)

• losgehen (to commence)

• loskommen (to get away)

• loslassen (to let go of)

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"mit-" can be attached to any appropriate verb to indicate joining or participating in the activity, somewhat akin to the English "along":

• mitarbeiten (to collaborate; to work along with)

• mitbringen (to bring along)

• mithelfen (to help out)

• mitkommen (to come along)

• mitmachen (to participate)

• mitnehmen (to take along)

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"nach-" offers a variety of meanings. Attached to a verb of motion, it can mean to "follow after" (see also hinterher-); in some cases, the act of "following" can designate a testing or other kind of follow-up of a previous action; "nach-" can also indicate imitation or else a reduction, or lessening:

• nacherzählen (to retell)

• nachgeben (to give way; to give in)

• nachkommen (to come later)

• nachlassen (to diminish; to loosen)

• nachschauen / nachsehen (to look up; to check up)

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"statt-" does not have a specific meaning as a prefix and appears in just two verbs:

• stattfinden (take place)

• stattgeben (to accede to; to grant; to allow").

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"um-" can carry a variety of meanings including "around," "down," and "over." It also can denote substantial sorts of change:

• umarbeiten (to rework)

• umbenennen (to rename)

• umrühren (to stir)

• umtauschen (to exchange)

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Additionally, "sich + um-" can indicate a general kind of activity:

• sich umhören (to keep one's ears open)

• sich umfragen (to ask around)

• sich umsehen / umschauen (to look around).

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"vor-" has the meanings "before," "forward," "pre-," and "pro-":

• vorgehen (to proceed; to go first)

• vorhaben (to intend)

• vortragen (to perform; to present [a speech, song, etc.])

• sich vorbereiten (to prepare)

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"weg-" means "away":

• wegbleiben (to stay away)

• wegbringen (to take away)

• wegfahren (to drive off)

• weggehen (to go away)

• wegwerfen (to throw away)

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"weiter-" means "further":

• weiterentwickeln (to develop further)

• weiterführen (to continue)

• weitergehen (to move along)

• weiterkommen (to get further; to make progress)

• weitermachen (to carry on)

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"wieder-" means "again":

• wiedergeben (to give back; to repeat)

• wiederholen (to repeat)

• wiedersehen (to see again)

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"zu-" means "closed," "to," "towards," "upon":

• zugehören (to belong to)

• zugreifen (to take hold; to help oneself [to something])

• zukommen (to approach)

• zulassen (to authorize)

• zumachen (to close)

• zunehmen (to increase; to gain weight)

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"zurück-" means "back," or "re-":

• zurückbleiben (to stay behind)

• zurückgeben (to give back; to return)

• zurückgehen (to have to go back)

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"zusammen-" means "together":

• zusammenarbeiten (to work together)

• zusammenfassen (to summarize)

• zusammengehören (to belong together)

• zusammensetzen (to seat/put together)

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