German Separable Verbs Explained: The Complete Guide to Trennbare Verben

If you're learning German and have ever wondered why the verb jumps to the end of the sentence, you're not alone. This oddity is one of the most confusing yet fascinating parts of German grammar — and it all comes down to separable verbs (Trennbare Verben).

These verbs look like one word in the dictionary but get ripped apart when used in real sentences. One part goes to the beginning, the other gets thrown to the end. Sounds crazy? It is — until you learn the rules.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What German separable verbs are and how they work
• How to recognize separable prefix verbs in German
• How they affect word order in different sentence types
• 20 of the most useful separable verbs with examples
• The most common mistakes learners make — and how to avoid them

Let’s demystify this grammar headache so you can use separable verbs confidently and naturally.

1. What Are German Separable Verbs?

In English, a verb is a single word: call, get up, go out. In German, many verbs combine a base verb with a prefix — and in some cases, the prefix separates and moves to the end of the sentence.

These are called separable verbs (trennbare Verben).

📌 Basic Formula:

Prefix + Base Verb
→ e.g., auf + stehen = aufstehen (to get up)

But in a real sentence:

Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.
I get up at 7 o'clock.
🔄 The verb splits: "stehe" (verb) is in 2nd position, "auf" (prefix) is kicked to the end.

This splitting only happens in certain sentence types (you’ll learn which ones in a moment). It’s one of the features that gives German word order its unique character.

✅ Separable vs. Inseparable Verbs

Separable verbs are often used in everyday German — especially in spoken language. If you want to sound natural and understand native speakers, mastering these is non-negotiable.

2. How to Identify Separable Verbs

German separable verbs all share one thing: they start with a prefix that can detach and jump to the end of the sentence. The key to spotting them is knowing which prefixes are separable — and which are not.

Let’s break it down.

🔑 Common Separable Prefixes

These prefixes always indicate a separable verb:

• ab- (off) → abfahren (to depart)
• an- (on, at) → anrufen (to call)
• auf- (up) → aufstehen (to get up)
• aus- (out) → ausgehen (to go out)
• ein- (in) → einkaufen (to shop)
• mit- (with) → mitbringen (to bring along)
• nach- (after) → nachdenken (to reflect)
• vor- (before) → vorstellen (to introduce)
• weg- (away) → weggehen (to leave)
• zu- (to, shut) → zumachen (to close)
• zurück- (back) → zurückkommen (to come back)

💡 TIP: These prefixes usually carry a clear, literal meaning tied to direction, position, or motion. That’s your clue.

🧠 Stress Pattern: A Native-Speaker Hack

Another quick way to identify separable verbs? Listen for stress.

If the prefix is stressed, it’s separable.
If the base verb is stressed, it’s likely inseparable.

Example:

• Anrufen → separable → Ich rufe dich an.
• verstéhen → inseparable → Ich verstehe dich.

You don’t have to rely solely on hearing — but this trick helps when speaking or listening.

⚠️ Dual Prefixes: The Traps

Some prefixes can be separable or inseparable, depending on the verb.

👉 Rule of thumb: If the meaning is literal and physical, it’s usually separable. If it’s abstract, it’s likely inseparable.

🧾 Quick Reference Chart

Learning to recognize these will save you a ton of confusion when forming sentences.

3. Sentence Structure & Word Order with Separable Verbs

German word order can feel like a puzzle, and separable verbs add a twist. The key is understanding that the verb splits — and the pieces land in different places depending on the sentence type.

Let’s break it down step by step.

✅ Main Rule: Verb in Second Position, Prefix at the End

In a main clause, the conjugated verb goes in position 2, and the prefix moves to the end.

Example:

Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.
I get up at 7 o’clock.

• “stehe” (conjugated verb) is in position 2
• “auf” (prefix) jumps to the end of the sentence

Another example:

Wir kaufen heute ein.
We’re shopping today.

• “kaufen” is in 2nd position
• “ein” is at the end

❓Yes/No Questions: Prefix Still Goes to the End

In yes/no questions, the verb comes first, and the prefix still lands at the end.

Example:

Kommst du mit?
Are you coming along?

• “kommst” (verb) comes first
• “mit” goes last

💬 W-Questions: Same Rule Applies

The verb stays in second position, even after a question word.

Example:

Wann fängt der Film an?
When does the movie start?

🔗 Subordinate Clauses: Prefix Stays Attached

When the verb is kicked to the end of a subordinate clause, the prefix doesn’t separate.

Example:

…, weil ich um 7 Uhr aufstehe.
… because I get up at 7 o’clock.

• No split. The full verb aufstehe stays together at the end of the clause.

🧩 Modal Verbs + Separable Verbs

When you use a modal verb (like wollen, müssen, können), the separable verb stays in infinitive form at the end — fully attached.

Example:

Ich will um 7 Uhr aufstehen.
I want to get up at 7 o’clock.

• “aufstehen” is not split here.

🔁 Recap Table: Where Does the Prefix Go?

4. Separable Verbs Across Tenses

German separable verbs behave differently depending on the tense — and that’s where many learners trip up. The good news? Once you understand the patterns, they’re completely predictable.

Let’s look at how separable verbs change across present, past, and future tenses.

⏳ Present Tense (Präsens)

This is the default tense most learners start with. Here, the verb splits: conjugated base verb stays in position 2, and the prefix goes to the end.

Example:

Ich stehe jeden Tag um 6 Uhr auf.
I get up at 6 a.m. every day.

🕰️ Perfect Tense (Perfekt)

Used in spoken German to describe past events. The prefix wraps around the past participle — you insert ge- between the prefix and the verb stem.

Structure:

[sein/haben] + prefix + ge + stem + -en

Example:

Ich bin um 6 Uhr aufgestanden.
I got up at 6 a.m.

Er hat seine Freunde angerufen.
He called his friends.

🧠 NOTE: Not all verbs use "haben" — motion verbs like aufstehen use "sein."

📖 Simple Past Tense (Präteritum)

More common in written German. The verb still splits, but the base verb is in simple past form.

Example:

Ich stand um 6 Uhr auf.
I got up at 6 a.m.

You won’t hear this often in speech unless you're reading the news or telling a story.

🔮 Future Tense (Futur I)

In future tense, the verb no longer splits. Instead, the entire separable verb remains together as an infinitive at the end of the sentence — similar to modal verb constructions.

Structure:

werden (conjugated) + infinitive of separable verb at the end

Example:

Ich werde morgen um 6 Uhr aufstehen.
I will get up at 6 a.m. tomorrow.

🧭 Visual Overview of Tense Usage

Here’s a comparison table that shows what happens in each tense:

5. Special Cases and Exceptions

While separable verbs usually follow clear rules, German wouldn’t be German without a few curveballs. In this section, we’ll cover the most important exceptions — and show you how to handle them like a native speaker.

🔗 Subordinate Clauses: Verb Doesn’t Split

In subordinate clauses (introduced by words like weil, dass, wenn, obwohl), the verb moves to the very end, and the prefix stays attached.

Example:

Ich stehe früh auf. → main clause
…weil ich früh aufstehe. → subordinate clause

The full verb (aufstehe) stays together. No prefix at the end.

🧩 Infinitive with zu: The "zu" Gets Inserted

When a separable verb is used with zu (e.g., Ich versuche … zu …), zu gets inserted between the prefix and the base verb.

Example:

Ich versuche, aufzustehen.
I try to get up.

Sie fängt an, das Buch zu lesen.
She starts to read the book.

🧠 Reminder: This rule only applies in constructions that require the zu-infinitive.

⚙️ Modal Verbs: Keep the Verb Together

Modal verbs like können, wollen, müssen, sollen, dürfen, mögen freeze the separable verb in its infinitive form. No splitting happens — the verb remains whole and is placed at the end.

Example:

Ich will um 7 Uhr aufstehen.
I want to get up at 7.

Even though aufstehen is separable in normal present tense, it stays fully attached when paired with wollen.

📢 Imperative Forms: Split the Verb

When giving a command or instruction, the verb comes first and the prefix moves to the end.

Example:

Steh bitte um 7 Uhr auf!
Get up at 7, please!

Ruf mich später an.
Call me later.

⚠️ Caution: You still need to conjugate the base verb correctly for the imperative form.

❓Questions Still Follow the Split Rule

Whether it’s a yes/no or W- question, the prefix moves to the end, just like in main clauses.

Example:

Wann kommt er an?
When does he arrive?

Rufst du mich heute an?
Are you calling me today?

6. 20 Essential German Separable Verbs (With Examples)

There are hundreds of separable verbs in German, but you only need a small core to handle most daily conversations. Below are 20 of the most useful and high-frequency separable verbs, categorized by context.

Each includes:

• The verb
• English meaning
• Two real-world example sentences

🛏️ Daily Routine

aufstehen – to get up

Ich stehe jeden Tag um 6 Uhr auf.
I get up every day at 6 a.m.
Stehst du am Wochenende später auf?
Do you get up later on weekends?

aufhören – to stop

Der Film hört um 22 Uhr auf.
The movie ends at 10 p.m.
Hör bitte mit dem Lärm auf!
Please stop the noise!

📞 Communication

anrufen – to call (someone)

Ich rufe meine Mutter jeden Sonntag an.
I call my mother every Sunday.
Rufst du mich später an?
Will you call me later?

zuhören – to listen

Hör mir bitte genau zu.
Please listen to me carefully.
Die Kinder hören dem Lehrer nicht zu.
The children aren’t listening to the teacher.

vorstellen – to introduce / to imagine

Ich stelle dir meinen Freund vor.
I’ll introduce you to my friend.
Stell dir das mal vor!
Just imagine that!

🛍️ Shopping & Errands

einkaufen – to shop

Wir kaufen am Samstag ein.
We shop on Saturdays.
Ich muss heute noch Brot einkaufen.
I still have to buy bread today.

abholen – to pick up

Ich hole das Paket später ab.
I’ll pick up the package later.
Kannst du die Kinder von der Schule abholen?
Can you pick up the kids from school?

mitbringen – to bring along

Bring bitte deinen Laptop mit.
Please bring your laptop with you.
Ich habe einen Kuchen mitgebracht.
I brought a cake.

🚗 Movement & Travel

abfahren – to depart

Der Zug fährt um 14 Uhr ab.
The train departs at 2 p.m.
Wann fährst du ab?
When are you leaving?

ankommen – to arrive

Wir kommen um 18 Uhr an.
We arrive at 6 p.m.
Ist dein Paket schon angekommen?
Has your package already arrived?

zurückkommen – to come back

Ich komme um 9 Uhr zurück.
I’ll be back at 9.
Wann kommst du aus dem Urlaub zurück?
When are you coming back from vacation?

💡 Mental & Social Actions

anfangen – to begin

Wann fängt der Kurs an?
When does the course begin?
Ich habe gestern mit dem Training angefangen.
I started training yesterday.

nachdenken – to think about

Denk mal darüber nach.
Think about it.
Ich habe lange über das Angebot nachgedacht.
I thought about the offer for a long time.

vorbereiten – to prepare

Ich bereite mich auf die Prüfung vor.
I'm preparing for the exam.
Hast du das Meeting gut vorbereitet?
Did you prepare the meeting well?

📺 Leisure & Daily Life

fernsehen – to watch TV

Wir sehen abends gern fern.
We like to watch TV in the evening.
Hast du gestern ferngesehen?
Did you watch TV yesterday?

ausgehen – to go out

Gehst du heute Abend aus?
Are you going out tonight?
Wir sind gestern bis Mitternacht ausgegangen.
We went out until midnight yesterday.

aufpassen – to pay attention / watch out

Pass auf den Verkehr auf!
Watch out for the traffic!
Ich passe auf die Kinder auf.
I’m watching the kids.

abwaschen – to wash the dishes

Ich wasche nach dem Essen ab.
I do the dishes after the meal.
Wer hat gestern abgewaschen?
Who did the dishes yesterday?

7. Common Mistakes with Separable Verbs (And How to Fix Them)

Even advanced learners mess up separable verbs — often without realizing it. The good news? Most errors fall into a few predictable categories. If you can spot and fix these, your German will sound instantly more natural.

❌ 1. Forgetting to Separate the Prefix

This is by far the most common mistake. Learners often leave the prefix attached in main clauses, which makes the sentence sound awkward or completely wrong.

❌ Wrong:

Ich aufstehe um 7 Uhr.

✅ Correct:

Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.

🧠 Fix: Always separate in main clauses — verb in position 2, prefix at the end.

❌ 2. Putting the Prefix in the Wrong Place

Beginners sometimes try to force the prefix into the middle of the sentence, which confuses native speakers.

❌ Wrong:

Ich auf um 7 Uhr stehe.

✅ Correct:

Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.

🧠 Fix: Prefix goes at the very end — never in the middle.

❌ 3. Confusing Separable and Inseparable Verbs

Some verbs look like they might be separable — but aren’t. This leads to strange sentence constructions.

❌ Wrong:

Ich verstehe dich nicht. → Trying to split verstehen

✅ Correct:

Ich verstehe dich nicht.

🧠 Fix: Know your prefixes. be-, ver-, er-, ent-, zer- are inseparable.

❌ 4. Misforming the Past Participle

In Perfekt tense, learners often forget to insert “ge-” between prefix and verb — or they place it in the wrong spot.

❌ Wrong:

Ich bin geaufstanden.

✅ Correct:

Ich bin aufgestanden.

🧠 Fix: Use this rule:

Separable = prefix + ge + stem + -en

❌ 5. Not Adjusting for Sentence Type

Students often overgeneralize and split the verb in subordinate clauses or modal verb constructions — where it should stay attached.

❌ Wrong (subordinate clause):

…weil ich stehe auf.

✅ Correct:

…weil ich aufstehe.

❌ Wrong (modal):

Ich will stehe auf.

✅ Correct:

Ich will aufstehen.

🧠 Fix:

• In subordinate clauses: verb moves to the end, unsplit
• With modal verbs: keep verb in infinitive, unsplit

📌 Summary Table of Common Errors