I. Theory
In German, prefixes are used to add a nuance to a word or, sometimes, give the word an entirely new meaning. We find prefixes used in a similar way in English: “rewrite” vs. “write” or “befriend” vs. “friend”.While separable prefixes are discussed in another lesson, this lesson will focus on the inseparable prefixes and what their general meanings are.
| Ich warte auf jemanden. I am waiting for someone. But Ich erwarte jemanden. I am expecting someone. Das Kind schläft bis zum Morgen. The child sleeps until morning. But Er hat verschlafen und war spät. He overslept and was late. |
Here we see some examples similar to prefixes in English: missverstehen, entdecken, verbieten.
II. Common Inseparable Prefixes
The list below includes common prefixes along with their general definition or usage. It should be noted that not all prefixes have one set meaning. For this reason, the meanings of certain words need to be memorized.be-Used when the verb takes a direct object: befinden, begrüßen.emp-Receiving something: empfehlen, empfangen.ent-Removal or moving away: entladen, entkommen.er-Usually conveys that something has been done to completion: erschießen, erlernen.ge-This prefix has no set meaning. It derives from older dialects of German: gefallen, gehören.miss-Done incorrectly or conveying failure: misslingen, missdeuten.ver-This prefix has several meanings:a) Doing an action to completion or elimination: verbrennen, verfallen. b) Doing an action incorrectly or backwards: verlaufen, versagen. c) Giving something a quality: verdeutschen, vergeistigen. zer-Break into pieces, come apart: zerbrechen, zerfallen. |