• In German there are a group of verbs called separable verbs.

• They are formed when a prefix has been added to the main verb.

• The meaning of a verb can change by adding a prefix. For example: fahren → to travel, becomes abfahren → to depart.

• These prefixes are separable because they detach from the main verb when the verb is conjugated.

Get to know about separable verbs before you start using them in sentences.

Separable verbs are easy to identify as they have a prefix at the start of the word.

Verbs starting with the prefixes ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, bei-, ein-, los-, mit-, nach-, her-, hin-, vor-, weg-, zu-, zurück- are always separable.

Conjugate all verbs in the present tense (regular or irregular) the same way. The separable prefix goes to the end of the clause. Keep the main verb as the second idea.

For example:

Take the infinitiveaufstehen (to get up). auf- is the separable prefix, and stehen is the main verb.

Conjugate the main verb as normal:

• ich stehe

• du stehst

• wir stehen

Then place the prefix at the end of the sentence:

Ich stehe auf. – I get up.

Remember:

If extra detail is added, the prefix auf still goes to the end of the sentence.

For example:

Am Wochenende stehe ich um acht Uhr auf.

The verb stehe is the second idea as the time phrase am Wochenende is the first idea.

Some key separable verbs to know for GCSE include:

Verbs with the prefixes be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, zer- are not separable.