German separable verbs: prefixes and word order

What separates in a separable verb

In aufstehen (“to get up”), auf- is part of the verb. In a main clause with the verb conjugated in the present tense, it’s written separately: Mira steht um sechs Uhr auf. (“Mira gets up at six”). English phrasal verbs like “get up” or “call back” are a helpful comparison, but in German the particle moves to the end of the clause.

Other useful verbs are einkaufen (“to go shopping”), anrufen (“to call on the phone”), mitkommen (“to come along”) and zumachen (“to close”). Learn the meaning of the whole verb; a prefix can change the meaning of the stem quite a lot.

The sentence forms a bracket

In a main statement, the conjugated verb takes the second position and the prefix the right-hand side of the verb bracket. The usual information goes between them:

Both sentences mean “Leo is calling his sister today”. Second position means the second element, not the second word. If you start with a time expression, the subject moves.

In a yes/no question, the verb comes first: Ruft Leo heute an? (“Is Leo calling today?”). In a question with a question word: Wann ruft Leo an? (“When is Leo calling?”).

With a modal or in a subordinate clause

With a conjugated modal verb, the separable verb stays together as an infinitive: Leo muss seine Schwester anrufen. (“Leo has to call his sister”).

In a subordinate clause with weil, the conjugated verb goes to the end and stays together: Ich warte, weil Leo später anruft. (“I’m waiting because Leo is calling later”). Whether it separates depends on the structure of the clause; the verb doesn’t lose its prefix.

How to recognise it and form the participle

Check the pronunciation, conjugation and meaning when you learn the verb. In typical separable verbs, the prefix is stressed: AUFstehen. Don’t turn every word beginning into a separable prefix: besuchen (“to visit”) stays together.

In common participles of this group, ge- goes between the prefix and the stem: einkaufen → eingekauft, anrufen → angerufen. Compare Ich kaufe heute ein. with Ich habe heute eingekauft. (“I’m going shopping today” / “I went shopping today”). Continue with Perfekt with haben and sein.

A routine for practising word order

Write the infinitive, a statement, a question and a subordinate clause. Always colour the two parts of the verb. Then add a time expression: you keep the verb bracket even when the first position changes. You can combine this with the TeKaMoLo guide.

Exercises with answers

Answer before opening the solutions. Each answer explains the reason for the form:

1. Put in order: ich / um sieben Uhr / aufstehen in the present tense.
2. Put in order: heute / wir / einkaufen in the present tense.
3. Yes/no question: du / heute / mitkommen.
4. Complete: Ich muss meine Mutter ___. (anrufen).
5. Complete: Ich bleibe hier, weil der Kurs gleich ___. (anfangen).
6. Complete: Wir haben gestern ___. (einkaufen).

Show answers and explanations

1. Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf.: conjugated verb in second position and separated prefix.
2. Heute kaufen wir ein.: Heute is the first element; wir follows the verb.
3. Kommst du heute mit?: conjugated verb first and prefix on the right.
4. anrufen: the conjugated modal goes with an infinitive that stays together.
5. anfängt: conjugated for der Kurs, together at the end of the subordinate clause.
6. eingekauft: ge- goes between ein- and the stem.