Inseparable Verbs in German (Untrennbare Verben)
In this topic, you will be learning the inseparable verbs in German (Untrennbare Verben).
Verb prefixes in German
A verb prefix is a word that is used with verbs to create new verbs with an entirely different meaning in English. There is also a similar system in the German language with one difference. The words are put before the infinitive and joined to it.
Some prefixes are always joined to the verb and some of them can be separated. However, some of them are never separated from it. That’s why these kinds of prefixes are called inseparable prefixes.
They are also can be found in all kinds of verb types i.e. strong, weak and mixed verbs.
Inseparable Verbs in German
A verb with inseparable prefixes is called “Untrennbare Verben” (inseparable verbs) in German.
Commonly used inseparable prefixes are: “be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ob-, ver-, zer-, de-, dis-, in-, re-” and some example verbs are shown in the table below:
| Inseparable Verbs | Meanings |
|---|---|
| beschreiben | to describe |
| enttäuschen | to disappoint |
| gehören | to belong |
| verlieren | to lose |
| empfangen | to receive |
| erhalten | to preserve |
| misstrauen | to mistrust |
| zerlegen | to dismantle |
| Ich bekomme einen Brief. I get a letter. | |
| Ich bestelle einen Hamburger. I order a hamburger. | |
| Mir missfällt was ich sehe, wenn Sie da sind. I don’t like what I see when you are there. | |
| Thomas misstraute der eigenen Formensprache. Thomas mistrusted his own design language. | |
| Johannes verlor zahlreiche Arbeiten und unter anderem etwa 1000 Bücher. Johannes lost numerous works and among other things about 1000 books. |
