Introduction to Separable Verbs

German has a remarkable feature that surprises almost every new learner: some verbs split in two when you use them in a sentence. The verb anrufen (to call someone) becomes Ich rufe dich an — the an detaches from rufen and travels all the way to the end of the sentence. These are called separable verbs, and they are everywhere in everyday German. Once you understand the rule, you will start recognising them on every page and in every conversation.

Why Separable Verbs Matter

They are among the most common verbs in German: Anrufen, aufmachen, einladen, mitkommen, aufstehen, einkaufen — these appear in the first weeks of learning German and you cannot avoid them.
The split is mandatory in main clauses: You cannot say Ich anrufe dich. The prefix must move to the end. Getting this wrong makes the sentence ungrammatical, not just imprecise.
The prefix changes the meaning completely: Kommen means "to come." Ankommen means "to arrive." Mitkommen means "to come along." Bekommen means "to receive." The prefix is the meaning — it is not decoration.
The rule is simple and consistent: In a main clause, the conjugated verb stays in position 2 and the prefix goes to the very end. Once this pattern is automatic, separable verbs become one of the easiest features of German.

Understanding Separable Verbs

How the Split Works

In a main clause, the verb stem is conjugated and placed in position 2 — just like any other verb. The separable prefix is removed from the front of the verb and placed at the very end of the sentence. Everything else in the sentence sits between them:

Infinitive	What it means	In a sentence	What happens
anrufen	to call (someone)	Ich rufe dich an.	an → end; rufe → position 2
aufmachen	to open	Er macht die Tür auf.	auf → end; macht → position 2
einladen	to invite	Wir laden euch ein.	ein → end; laden → position 2
mitkommen	to come along	Kommst du mit?	mit → end; kommst → position 1 (question)
aufstehen	to get up	Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.	auf → end; stehe → position 2

The Most Common Separable Prefixes

These prefixes are almost always separable. When you see one of them at the start of a verb, expect the split:

Prefix	General meaning	Example verb	Meaning
an-	toward, on, starting	anrufen	to call
auf-	up, open	aufmachen	to open
aus-	out, off, finished	ausgehen	to go out
ein-	in, into	einladen	to invite
mit-	with, along	mitkommen	to come along
ab-	off, away, down	abfahren	to depart
vor-	before, forward	vorstellen	to introduce
zurück-	back	zurückkommen	to come back
weiter-	further, continuing	weitergehen	to continue walking
zu-	closed, toward	zumachen	to close

A List of High-Frequency Separable Verbs

These are the verbs you will encounter most often at beginner and intermediate level:

Verb	Meaning	Example sentence
anrufen	to call (phone)	Ich rufe dich morgen an.
aufstehen	to get up	Sie steht um 6 Uhr auf.
aufmachen	to open	Mach bitte das Fenster auf.
zumachen	to close	Er macht die Tür zu.
einladen	to invite	Wir laden euch zum Essen ein.
einkaufen	to go shopping	Ich kaufe heute im Supermarkt ein.
mitkommen	to come along	Kommst du mit ins Kino?
ankommen	to arrive	Wann kommt der Zug an?
abfahren	to depart	Der Bus fährt um 8 Uhr ab.
ausgehen	to go out	Wir gehen heute Abend aus.
vorstellen	to introduce	Ich stelle euch meine Schwester vor.
fernsehen	to watch TV	Er sieht jeden Abend fern.

Separable Verbs in Questions

In yes/no questions the conjugated verb moves to position 1, but the prefix still goes to the end. The rule is the same — the prefix always ends up last:

Statement	Yes/no question
Du rufst ihn an.	Rufst du ihn an?
Sie kommt mit.	Kommt sie mit?
Er steht früh auf.	Steht er früh auf?

Separable Verbs with Modal Verbs

When a modal verb (müssen, können, wollen etc.) is used with a separable verb, the separable verb stays in its full infinitive form at the end of the sentence — it does not split because it is not the conjugated verb:

Without modal	With modal	What changes
Ich rufe dich an.	Ich muss dich anrufen.	Full infinitive at end — no split
Er steht auf.	Er will aufstehen.	Full infinitive at end — no split
Wir kaufen ein.	Wir können einkaufen.	Full infinitive at end — no split

The Stress Rule — How to Identify a Separable Verb

In German, the stress on a separable verb always falls on the prefix: ANrufen, AUFstehen, EINladen. This is the quickest way to identify whether a verb is separable — if the prefix is stressed when you say the infinitive, it separates. Inseparable prefixes like be-, ge-, er-, ver-, ent- are always unstressed and never separate.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Separable Verbs

Identify the prefix: Look for a stressed prefix at the start of the verb — an-, auf-, aus-, ein-, mit-, ab- etc.
Conjugate the stem: Remove the prefix and conjugate the remaining verb stem as normal for the subject. Place the conjugated form in position 2.
Send the prefix to the end: The prefix travels to the very last position in the sentence — after all objects, adverbs, and other elements.
With a modal verb: Keep the separable verb as a whole infinitive at the end. It does not split when it is the infinitive.
In a question: The conjugated stem moves to position 1, but the prefix still goes to the end — same rule.

Pro Tip: When you look up a separable verb in a dictionary, it is always written with a vertical bar or dot between prefix and stem — an|rufen, auf|stehen. This marker tells you: this verb separates. If you are unsure whether a verb is separable, say it aloud — if the prefix carries the stress, it separates.

Memory Pattern: Think of a separable verb like a sandwich. The bread is the verb — one slice (conjugated stem) goes to position 2, the other slice (prefix) goes to the end. Everything else in the sentence is the filling in between.

Key Examples

German	English	Note
Ich rufe dich morgen an.	I will call you tomorrow.	anrufen — an goes to the end; rufe stays in position 2
Er macht das Fenster auf.	He opens the window.	aufmachen — auf to end; macht in position 2
Wann fährt der Zug ab?	When does the train depart?	abfahren in a question — fährt in position 1, ab at the end
Wir laden euch zum Geburtstag ein.	We are inviting you to the birthday party.	einladen — ein to end; laden in position 2
Kommst du heute Abend mit?	Are you coming along tonight?	mitkommen in a question — kommst first, mit at end
Ich muss morgen früh aufstehen.	I have to get up early tomorrow.	aufstehen with modal — full infinitive at end, no split
Sie kauft jeden Samstag im Markt ein.	She goes shopping at the market every Saturday.	einkaufen — ein to end; kauft in position 2
Der Film fängt um 20 Uhr an.	The film starts at 8 p.m.	anfangen — an to end; fängt in position 2 (note vowel change)
Kannst du bitte das Licht ausmachen?	Can you please turn off the light?	ausmachen with modal — full infinitive at end
Er stellt sich vor.	He introduces himself.	vorstellen — vor to end; stellt in position 2; reflexive sich stays near verb

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Ich anrufe dich morgen.
- Fix: The prefix must separate in a main clause. The conjugated stem goes to position 2 and the prefix goes to the end: Ich rufe dich morgen an. Keeping the verb together is the most common error with separable verbs.
Mistake 2: Ich muss an-rufen dich.
- Fix: With a modal verb, the separable verb stays as a complete infinitive at the very end — it does not split: Ich muss dich anrufen.
Mistake 3: Er macht auf das Fenster.
- Fix: The prefix goes to the absolute end of the sentence — after all objects: Er macht das Fenster auf. The object comes between the verb stem and the prefix, not after the prefix.
Mistake 4: Wann der Zug fährt ab?
- Fix: In a question with a question word, the conjugated verb comes directly after the question word in position 2: Wann fährt der Zug ab? The prefix still goes to the end.
Nuance 1: Confusing separable and inseparable verbs with the same stem.
- Fix: Bestellen (to order) is inseparable — be- never separates: Ich bestelle einen Kaffee. But aufstellen is separable: Ich stelle den Tisch auf. The stress test is reliable: if the prefix is stressed, it separates.

Cultural Insights

Separable verbs and German precision: German uses separable prefixes to create a large family of related verbs from a single stem. Kommen alone generates ankommen (arrive), mitkommen (come along), zurückkommen (come back), rauskommen (come out), vorkommen (occur). Learning one stem unlocks many verbs at once — this is one of the most efficient parts of building a German vocabulary.
Separable verbs in everyday speech: Several of the most common things Germans say every day involve separable verbs: Mach die Tür zu! (Close the door!), Steh auf! (Get up!), Ruf mich an! (Call me!), Komm mit! (Come along!). These imperative forms drop the subject entirely and the prefix still goes to the end.

Practice Scenarios

Daily Routine: Describing your morning, e.g., Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf, mache das Fenster auf und rufe meine Mutter an. (I get up at 7, open the window and call my mother.)
- Ich stehe um ___ Uhr auf. (I get up at...)
- Ich mache das Frühstück fertig. (I finish making breakfast.)
- Ich rufe ___ an. (I call...)
Making Plans: Inviting someone and arranging to meet, e.g., Wir laden euch ein — kommt ihr mit? (We are inviting you — are you coming along?)
- Kommst du mit? (Are you coming along?)
- Wir gehen heute Abend aus. (We are going out tonight.)
- Ich lade dich ein. (I am inviting you.)
Travel and Transport: Talking about departures and arrivals, e.g., Der Zug fährt um 10 Uhr ab und kommt um 12 Uhr an. (The train departs at 10 and arrives at 12.)
- Wann fährt der Bus ab? (When does the bus depart?)
- Der Zug kommt gleich an. (The train is arriving shortly.)
- Wir fahren morgen ab. (We are leaving tomorrow.)

Follow-Up Questions

How do you know if a verb is separable?
- Example Answer: Say the infinitive aloud — if the prefix carries the stress (ANrufen, AUFstehen), it is separable. Inseparable prefixes like be-, ge-, er-, ver- are always unstressed. Dictionaries also mark separable verbs with a dot or bar between prefix and stem.
What happens to a separable verb when used with a modal verb like müssen?
- Example Answer: With a modal verb, the separable verb stays as a complete infinitive at the end of the sentence and does not split. For example: Ich muss dich anrufen — anrufen stays together because it is the infinitive, not the conjugated verb.
Where exactly does the prefix go in a sentence with several elements?
- Example Answer: The prefix goes to the absolute end — after all objects, adverbs, and other elements. Er macht das große Fenster im Wohnzimmer auf — auf comes last, after everything else.

Conclusion

Separable verbs follow one simple rule: in a main clause, the conjugated stem stays in position 2 and the prefix travels to the end. Once that movement feels automatic, you gain access to dozens of the most common and useful verbs in the German language. The next step is to start noticing separable verbs in everything you read and hear — they are everywhere, and every one of them follows the same rule.

Practice Makes Perfect

The exercises below test both the split itself and the position of the prefix — pay close attention to sentences with objects and adverbs, because those are where learners most often place the prefix too early.