Trennbare Verben (Separable Verbs)¶
A separable verb is a prefix glued onto a base verb — an + kommen = ankommen (to arrive). The catch: when you conjugate it, the prefix splits off and moves to the end of the clause.
Regel (Rule)¶
Conjugate the base verb normally, in its normal position — the prefix goes to the very end, no matter how far away that is.
| ankommen | abfahren | |
|---|---|---|
| ich | komme … an | fahre … ab |
| du | kommst … an | fährst … ab |
| er/sie/es | kommt … an | fährt … ab |
| wir | kommen … an | fahren … ab |
| ihr | kommt … an | fahrt … ab |
| sie/Sie | kommen … an | fahren … ab |
The base verb keeps whatever conjugation it already had — fahren's a→ä change (see Unregelmäßige Verben) still happens in abfahren; the separable prefix doesn't touch that at all.
Beispiele (Examples)¶
- Der Bus kommt um 9 Uhr an. — statement: verb 2nd, prefix last.
- Wann kommt der Bus an? — W-Frage: verb 2nd, prefix last.
- Kommt der Bus pünktlich an? — Ja/Nein-Frage: verb 1st, prefix last.
- Der Bus muss pünktlich ankommen. — with a modal verb, it doesn't split at all.
- Der Bus fährt um 9 Uhr ab. — statement.
- Wann fährt der Bus ab? — W-Frage.
- Fährt der Bus pünktlich ab? — Ja/Nein-Frage.
- Der Bus muss pünktlich abfahren. — modal verb: reunited again.
Merke (Note): Modalverben (Modal Verbs) reunite the prefix
With a modal verb, the separable verb goes back to being one word — a bare infinitive at the end of the Satzklammer, exactly like any other verb in that position. It only splits when it's itself the conjugated verb.
Merke (Note): die Bedeutung (Meaning) ändert sich manchmal (Sometimes Changes)
kommen and ankommen mean almost the same thing here (to come / to arrive). That's not guaranteed — einladen (to invite) and laden (to load, to recharge) share a stem but mean quite different things. Don't assume a separable verb's meaning from its parts; check each one.