»

Two Kinds of Prefixes by Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.

There are two kinds of prefixes used with verbs: inseparable prefixes and separable prefixes. The separable ones are analogous to two-word verbs in English, such as “call up” or “find out.” The inseparable prefixes modify the meaning of the verb they are attached to.

Exercise 28

There are seven prefixes that cannot be separated from a verb and used on their own. They are zer-, ver-, ge-, miss-, be-, er-, and ent- (or emp).

Translate and match the following.

<tgroup cols="3" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="25%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="25%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>zer</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>zerreißen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to mistreat</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>ver</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>verstehen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to break (completely)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>zer</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>zerbrechen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to understand</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>ge</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>gebrauchen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to forgive</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>ver</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>vergeben</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to use</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>miss</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>misshandeln</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to tear</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>be</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>besuchen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to distrust</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>er</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>erkennen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to visit</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>be</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>bekommen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to receive, welcome</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>ge</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>gefallen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to originate</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>11. <emphasis>er</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>erwarten</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to please</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>12. <emphasis>ent- (emp-)</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>entstehen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to recognize</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>13. <emphasis>ent- (emp-)</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>empfangen</p></td> <td><p>to expect</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>14. <emphasis>miss</emphasis>-</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>misstrauen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to receive, get</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 29</h2> <p>Attaching a prefix to the verb modifies its meaning but the conjugation is still like the original verb. With inseparable prefixes, do no use the usual <emphasis>ge</emphasis>- prefix for the past participle.</p> <p>Translate the following.</p> <table width="100%" frame="none"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. Future: <emphasis>ihr werdet verstehen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. Future Perfect: <emphasis>sie werden verstanden haben</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>erkannt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>entstanden</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. Past Perfect: <emphasis>wir hatten verstanden</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>vergeben</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. Present: <emphasis>ich verstehe</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. Present Perfect: <emphasis>er hat verstanden</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. Past: <emphasis>du verstandest</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 30</h2> <p>In some tenses, the separable prefixes separate from their verbs. Divide the prefix from its verb and place it at the end of a sentence or phrase in simple tenses. For the verb <emphasis>aufstehen</emphasis> (“to get up”) in the present tense, for example, the prefix <emphasis>auf</emphasis> has to be separated from the stem <emphasis>stehen;</emphasis> the conjugated form looks like <emphasis>Ich stehe auf</emphasis> (“I get up”).</p> <p>The prefix, however, cannot be the final part in a dependent clause. <emphasis>Ich bin müde, weil ich so früh aufstehen muss</emphasis>, which translates to “I am tired because I have to get up so early,” is an example of this. Additionally, the prefix does not separate in compound tenses, for example: “<emphasis>Ich bin aufges-tanden</emphasis>.” Note that you place the <emphasis>ge</emphasis>- of the past participle in the middle of the word after the prefix.</p> <p>Translate the following German sentences.</p> <ul> <li><p>Future: <emphasis>Sie wird morgen um 5 Uhr aufstehen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Ich weiß, dass sie jeden Tag um 5 Uhr aufstehen muss</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p>Future Perfect: <emphasis>Sie wird morgen um 5 Uhr aufgestanden sein</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie plante, morgen nicht um 5 Uhr aufzustehen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p>Imperative: <emphasis>Stehe jeden Tag um 5 Uhr auf</emphasis>!</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p>Present: <emphasis>Sie steht jeden Tag um 5 Uhr auf</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p>Past: <emphasis>Sie stand jeden Tag um 5 Uhr auf</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 31</h2> <div class="npmo"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/german-practice/track.jpg"><div class="npcp"><p>TRACK 23</p></div></div> <p>When practicing mixed prefixes, you must remember that some of the prefixes are separable while others are sometimes inseparable. When you are using language in a literal sense, you separate the prefixes. When you use language in a figurative sense, you do not separate the prefix.</p> <p>Listen and translate the following sentences that use three of the five most significant mixed prefixes. These three prefixes are <emphasis>durch-</emphasis>, <emphasis>um</emphasis>, and <emphasis>über-</emphasis>.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Ich durchsuchte meine Tasche</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie riss den Brief durch und warf ihn weg</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Der Zug fährt bis Hamburg durch</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Große Erleichterung durchfährt die Menge</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie umgeht meine Frage</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Dumme Gerüchte gehen um</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Dies umfasst die ganze Kaufhauskette</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Dies hatte die ganzen zehn Banken umfasst</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie setzt auf einer Fähre über</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie ist mit einem Kanu übergesetzt</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie übersetzt aus dem Isländischen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hat aus dem Norwegischen übersetzt</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 32</h2> <p>The following sentences use the remaining two of the five most significant mixed prefixes: <emphasis>unter-</emphasis> and <emphasis>wieder-</emphasis>. Unscramble the sentence in each example and then write the translation.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>den Ball holt wieder der Mann</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>sie Wort hat das wiederholt</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>sie das wiederholt Wort</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>hat er unterbrochen sie</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>er im Hotel sie unter bringt</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>unterstützen sie ihn</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>er unterstützt sie hat</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>der holt Mann den wieder Fernsehapparat</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p> <p>________________</p></li> </ul> <!--/gc--> <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/tenses-in-action.htm" title="Tenses in Action">Tenses in Action</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/verbal-nouns.htm" title="Verbal Nouns">Verbal Nouns</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/two-kinds-of-prefixes.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Two Kinds of Prefixes - German Practice </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/is-the-infinitive-required.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Is the Infinitive Required? - German Practice </a></li> <li><a href="http://german.about.com/library/anfang/blanfang19.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> German for Beginners | Lesson 19 Verbs | Separable Prefixes </a></li> <li><a href="http://german.about.com/od/verbs/a/Difficult-German-Verbs.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Difficult German Verbs - About Difficult German Verbs </a></li> <li><a href="http://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre02.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> German Verb Prefixes: Part 2 - Separable Prefixes </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More Verbs: Section A</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/three-irregular-verbs.htm">Three Irregular Verbs</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/two-major-groups-of-verbs.htm">Two Major Groups of Verbs</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/direct-objects-or-no-direct-objects.htm">Direct Objects or No Direct Objects?</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/rules-for-haben-or-sein.htm">Rules for Haben or Sein</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/tenses-in-action.htm">Tenses in Action</a></li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li class="btO">Two Kinds of Prefixes</li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/verbal-nouns.htm">Verbal Nouns</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/commands.htm">Commands</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/six-verbs-on-their-own.htm">Six Verbs on Their Own</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/german-practice/Cover.jpg"></a><h4><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd">THE EVERYTHING GERMAN PRACTICE BOOK</a></h4><p><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd">By Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.</a></p><div id="fp"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd">Buy This Book</a></div></div></div> <div id="toc" class="pane"><div class="n3">German Practice Sections</div><ul><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/top-ten-reasons-to-practice-your-german/">Top 10 Reasons to Practice Your German</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-article/">The Article</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-noun/">The Noun</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-pronoun/">The Pronoun</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/prepositions-adverbs-and-conjunctions/">Prepositions, Adverbs, and Conjunctions</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-adjective/">The Adjective</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/">Verbs: Section A</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/">Verbs: Section B</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/appendix-a-answer-key/">Answer Key</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verb-tables/">German Verb Tables</a></li> </ul></div></div> <script type="text/javascript">zCi();validateForms();</script> <div id="abf" style="padding-right:0"><ol class="crumbtrail"><li class="home"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/">German Practice</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/">Verbs: Section A</a></li><li>Two Kinds of Prefixes</li></ol></div> <div id="aboutinfo" class="hlist"><div id="morefrom"><h6>Visit other About.com sites:</h6><ul><li><a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/" rel="nofollow">Calorie Count</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.allexperts.com/" rel="nofollow">Allexperts.com</a></li></ul></div> <ul id="siteinfo"><li><a href="http://spiderbites.about.com/sitemap.htm">SiteMap</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm" rel="nofollow">Help</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm" rel="nofollow">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm#adchoices" rel="nofollow">Your Ad Choices</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/pform.htm" rel="nofollow">Contact Us</a></li></ul> <ul id="companyinfo"><li class="last"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/ " rel="nofollow">Buy Books</a></li></ul><div id="disclaimer"> </div></div></div> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- zPxA[zPxC]=new Image();zPxA[zPxC++].src="http://b.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6036459&c7=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2enetplaces%2ecom%2fgerman%2dpractice%2fverbs%2dsection%2da%2ftwo%2dkinds%2dof%2dprefixes%2ehtm&c8=Two%20Kinds%20of%20Prefixes&c9=&cv=2.0&cj=1"; adclose() //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(){var po=document.createElement('script');po.type='text/javascript';po.async=true;po.src='https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';var s=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(po,s)})();</script> </body></html>