Distinguishing the meanings of some inseparable prefixes when combined with verbs in German
Through inseparable prefixes (untrennbare Vorsilbe), verbs, nouns and adjectives can change their meaning. As such, this article will introduce you to the usage and meaning of these prefixes.
Through inseparable prefixes (untrennbare Vorsilbe), verbs, nouns and adjectives can change their meaning. This article will therefore introduce you to the usage and meaning of these prefixes. That way, whenever you encounter inseparable prefixes appearing together with any verb, you will be able to guess the meaning of that verb.
Let's start learning!
First, we will look at the following examples
Das Fest at ihm sehr missfallen. = to dislike
(He really didn't like the festival)
Das alte Schloss ist schon ganz verfallen. = damaged, deteriorated
(The old castle has been completely damaged)
Die Steine sind teilweise zu Staub zerfallen. = completely broken, beyond repair
(Some of the stones have crumbled to dust)
Through these 3 example sentences, the meanings of the 3 prefixes miss-, ver-, zer- have been introduced in an abstract way. And to help you understand more clearly and have a more accurate picture of the meaning and usage of the inseparable prefixes, each inseparable prefix along with its accompanying illustrative examples will be explained in the following table:
Prefix | Meaning | Example |
ver- | indicates the process or result of an action (a state that has been transformed)
indicates something that happens with an undesired result
indicates the disappearance or vanishing of something | Er hat sich sehr verändert. (He has changed a great deal) Blumen verblühen (Flowers wither) die Suppe versalzen (adding too much salt to the soup) einen Brief verstecken (hiding a letter) |
er- | doing something until a result is achieved expressing an action that leads to a disastrous outcome | das Weltall erforschen (exploring the universe) im Meer ertrinken (drowning in the sea) |
zer- | to destroy (tear, break…) to vanish/dissolve | ein Blatt zerreißen (tearing a leaf) das Eis zerfließt (the ice is melting) |
ent- | to remove/strip something away
to disappear/be lost | das Meerwasser entsalzen (desalinating seawater) Mir ist sein Name entfallen. (I have forgotten his name) Der Tiger ist aus dem Zoo entlaufen. (The tiger has escaped from the zoo) |
miss- | negation, making the meaning negative | Der Versuch missglückt. (the experiment fails) Sie haben mich missverstanden. (You have misunderstood me) |
be- | to do/complete something thoroughly to draw or print onto something | Thomas hat den Berg in nur drei Stunden bestiegen. (Thomas completed the mountain climb in just 3 hours) eine Decke bemalen (to paint a ceiling) |
Knowledge test
Distinguishing the meanings of some inseparable prefixes when combined with verbs in German
- 1.
Die Firma hat das neue Produkt auf dem Markt __________.
- 2.
Die Polizei hat den Verdächtigen nach einer langen Verfolgungsjagd __________
- 3.
. Der Künstler hat das Gemälde mit bunten Farben __________.