Verbal Prefixes*

INSEPARABLE VERBAL PREFIXES

Inseparable verbal prefixes orignally had certain fundamental meanings which are still preserved in some verbs although lost in many others. The meaning of /zer-/has remained constant. These prefixes are be-, ent- (or emp-), er-, ge-, ver-, and zer-.

(a) be-: This prefixes serves to make a verb transitive (i.e. a verb formed with it may take a direct object): bedienen, "to serve"; bekommen, "to recieve"; beantworten, "to answer".

(b) ent- (or emp-): This prefix denotes the beginning of an action or separation. ebtshtehen to arise (or to come into existence; entzünden to inflame; entlassen, "to dismiss"; entgehen, "to escape"; entlaufen, "to run away"; entsäufen; "to descidify" or "to neutralize".

(c) er-: This prefis denotes origin or accomplishment; erblühen, "to blossom"; erwachen, "to wake"; erleben, "to experience"; erreichen, "to attain"; erraten "to guess correctly"

(d) ge-: This prefix denotes result or completeness (as shown in the past participle ge-) and often successful action: gelangen, "to arrive at"; genesen, "to get well"; gewinnen "to gain".

Note: The prefix ge- originally denoted "with" or "together with" ... and had perfective force equivalent to the Laton prefix con- as in conficare, "to accomplish".

(e) ver-: The prefixes often denotes that the action of the verb miscarried: verfüren, "to lead away", verspielen, "to lose money in playing; verkennen, "to misjudge"; verlegen, "misplace"; sich verschlafen, "to oversleep", verdrehen, "to distort"

Note: The prefis ver- is sometimes equivalent to the English prefix "for"; vergeben, "to forgive"; vergessen, "to forget"; verbieten, "to forbid"

 (f) zer-: This prefix is the most consistant in meaning of any inseparable prefix. It regularly denotes "going asunder", "going apart", or "in pieces"; r destruction or damage resulting from the action of the original verb; zerreißen, "to tear to pieces" (or "to damage by tearing":); zerbrechen, "to break in pieces"; zerschneiden, "to cut to pieces"; zerfallen, "to fall to pieces; zerlegen, "to take apart", zerstreuen, "to scatter"; zerknallen, "to explode", "to denotate"


SEPARABLE PREFIXES

ab: off, down: abnehmen "to take off"

an: at, on; ansehen "to look at"; anziehen "to put on"

auf: up, aufstehen "to get up"

aus: out; ausführen "to carry out", "to execute"

bei: by, with: beistehen "to render aid", "to assist"

ein: into; eintretten "to enter"

empor: up; emporsteigen, "to climb up"

entzwei:; in two; entzwei brechen "to break in two"

entgegen: toward; entgegeneilen "to hasten toward"

fort: away; fortgehen "to go away"

heim: home; heimgehen "to go home"

her: hither; herkommen "to come (toward he speaker)"

hin: thither. hingehen "to go thither (away from the speaker)

los: loose; loslassen, "to release"

mit: with; mitbringen "to bring along"

nach: after; nachlaufen "to run after"

nieder: down; sich niederliegen "to lie down"

vor: before; vorgehen "to precede"

weg: away; weggehen "to go away"

zu: to; zuhören, "listen to"

zurück: back zurückkehren; "to turn (or come) back", "to return"

zusammen: together; zusammenbringen "to bring together"

*From Cochran, Emory 1965 A Practical German Review Grammar Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.