A1 · GRAMMAR

Separable Verbs

Some verbs have a prefix at the beginning: auf-stehen, ein-kaufen, an-rufen. In a normal sentence, the verb is conjugated in the second position, and the prefix separates and goes to the very end of the sentence. If there is a modal verb, the verb does not separate; it stays together at the end.

In this lesson

1. Prefix goes to the end

The verb is in the 2nd position, the prefix is at the very end.

Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.

I get up at 7 o'clock.

2. Common Prefixes

an, auf, aus, ein, mit, zu, ab, vor, fern, zurück

3. Does not separate with a modal verb

The infinitive remains together at the end.

Ich muss früh aufstehen.

I have to get up early.

4. Stress on the prefix

AUFstehen, EINkaufen. In dictionaries, it's usually shown as auf|stehen.

💡 To understand the meaning of the verb in a long sentence, listen/read until the end of the sentence. Ich rufe dich morgen ... an!