Day 23 - Separable prefixes Flashcards
Separable Prefixes Some verbs in German have a separable prefix. An example of this is aussehen (to look).
When you conjugate this verb, the prefix will move to the end of the sentence.
Study the following example: I look good. Ich sehe gut aus.
Do you see how aus from aussehen moved to the end of the sentence? This can be confusing, because the last word of a sentence can change the meaning of the verb. As you start listening and speaking more, you are going to need to get used to holding all the information in your head until you hear the last word of the sentence, in order to understand its meaning. This is great practice for your short term memory! Verbs with a separable prefix will be noted with an apostrophe. You will never write this apostrophe, it is simply to help you recognize verbs with a separable prefix.
aus.sehen…to look, to appear
sieht aus … to see + out = to appear ( to others)
sah aus (past)
ausgesehen
auf.hören…to cease doing something
an.halten = to come to a stop
auf.hören = to stop doing something
zu.hören = to listen to
Here they are back to back in the same sentence: Hör auf zu reden und halt an! Stop talking and pull over!Mar
an.fangen…to start or to begin
fängt an
fing an (past)
angefangen
fangen = to catch, to trap, to net
anfangen: to start, to begin (transitive)
fangen; to catch (animal, ball, …)
zu.hören…to listen
“hören” means “to hear”, in the context of being able to recieve or recognize any audio/sound.
“zuhören” means to hear concentrated(!), what someone is telling you or listen very conscious to music.
“hören” means you are able to recieve the signal, “zuhören” means you actively try to understand what you hear..
an.rufen…to call, to telephone
rief an (past)
angerufen
Most people will use the verb anrufen, in the meaning of to give somebody a call (via telephone), while rufen is used for calling or shouting in general. in the meaning, that a guard shouts at someone (to get his/her attention).
an.kommen…to arrive
kam an (past)
angekommen
ein.steigen…to board, to get on
stieg ein (past)
eingestiegen
steigen = to ascend, to climb, to rise
fern.sehen…to watch TV
sieht fern
sah fern (past)
ferngesehen
statt.finden…to take place
fand statt (past)
stattgefunden
vor.schlagen…to suggest, to propose
schlägt vor
schlug vor (past)
vorgeschlagen
Suggest comes from the Latin suggerere. That is a combination of sub, which expresses the idea of under and the old Latin gerere which was about carrying, bringing and which is for instance the origin of gesture. The original sense of suggerere was pretty broad but “laying down” and idea was part of it, and that made its way into many European languages as to suggest. German, too, has its own version suggerieren, but this one is somewhat of a false friend because suggerieren is a very subliminal way of manipulating someone into thinking something. Like, you plant a seed without the person noticing.
Anyway, now let’s get to vorschlagen and I am sure some of you know that schlagen is the German word for to beat, to punch.
So yes… the German word for to suggest basically is “to slap in front”. Like… boom, here’s my idea. Think of a Germanic tribesman slamming his horn of beer on the table “Folks… let’s do some calligraphy!”
- You look good.
Du sieht gut an. NO…Du sieST gut AUS.
- She isn’t stopping.
Sie hört nicht an? NO…Sie hört nicht AUF.
- When does it start?
Wann fängt es an?
Are you paying attention?
Hörst du an? NO…Hörst du ZU?
