Verbs with prefixes
Many German verbs come with prefixes such as auf, er, or um. The meaning of the verb is often similar to the same verb without the prefix, but usually not identical.
For example, steigen means to climb, but einsteigen means to get on board (a train, for example). Normally, the prefix itself provides a clue to what the verb is — ein means in, so einsteigen means to “climb into the train“.
As usual, most of the words (verbs) given here have multiple translations; only the most important ones are given here.
Here you will find a number of these verb “families”. They are easier to learn if you learn each whole family at once. Here they are:
Some very common verb families
arbeiten – work
bearbeiten – edit
erarbeiten – work-out, elaborate
bringen – bring, fetch
aufbringen – apply
einbringen – bring-in, earn
verbringen – spend
finden – find (be located after being searched for)
befinden – be (in a specific, known location)
empfinden – feel (have a particular emotion)
führen – lead
ausführen – run
durchführen – perform (a specific action)
einführen – introduce
geben – give
abgeben – leave-it-alone, deliver, submit
angeben – specify
aufgeben – give-up
ausgeben – throw-away, spend, emit
begeben – issue
eingeben – enter (like data into a computer)
ergeben – surrender
umgeben – enclose
vergeben – forgive
gehen – go, walk, move-about
angehen – approach
ausgehen – go-out (like to a restaurant)
entgehen – escape
umgehen – bypass, go-around, avoid
vorgehen – proceed
weitergehen – move-along
gleichen – be-similar-to
ausgleichen – compensate-for
vergleichen – compare
halten – hold-steady (unchanging or unmoving)
aufhalten – make-stop (as in arrest), stop
behalten – retain
einhalten – stick-to
enthalten – contain
erhalten – receive
mithalten – keep-up-with
unterhalten – chat
verhalten – restrain
kommen – come
aufkommen – emerge
auskommen – get-by (manage without a great deal of problems)
bekommen – get
entkommen – escape
vorkommen – happen
lassen – let-be, allow
entlassen – dismiss
erlassen – remit, enact
hinterlassen – leave-behind
verlassen – abandon
leben – live (as a breathing being, not as a resident of somewhere)
erleben – experience
liegen – lie-down (the self)
unterliegen – be-subject-to
vorliegen – be-present
machen – make, (possibly do)
ausmachen – turn-off
mitmachen – participate, corroborate
nehmen – take
annehmen – accept
anzunehmen – assume
aufnehmen – record (audio or visual)
aufzunehmen – record (audio or visual)
übernehmen – take over
einnehmen – take in (by observation)
entnehmen – remove
hinnehmen – accept
unternehmen – undertake (like a project)
vornehmen – make
vorzunehmen – make
zunehmen – increase
öffnen – open (like for the day)
eröffnen – open (like a first-time grand opening)
schaffen – achieve
verschaffen – procure
sehen – see
ansehen – view
aussehen – appear-to-others-as (as in fashionable)
versehen – provide, equip
setzen – emplace
besetzen – occupy, be-unavailable-because-in-use-by-another
durchsetzen – accomplish (with some effort)
einsetzen – deploy
ersetzen – replace
umsetzen – implement, translate
sorgen – care-for, care-about
versorgen – provide-for
sprechen – speak
entsprechen – be-comparible-to
versprechen – promise
stehen – stand
bestehen – consist-of
entstehen – arise
verstehen – understand
stellen – put
bestellen – order (as in order something from Amazon)
einstellen – adjust
erstellen – create, build
herstellen – manufacture, produce
vorstellen – introduce (people or an idea to a person)
zeigen – demonstrate
anzeigen – indicate
ziehen – pull
beziehen – obtain
einziehen – move-in
entziehen – revoke (could be permission)
zurückziehen – withdraw
Some other common verb families
bauen – build
abbauen – dismantle
aufbauen – build up, assemble
ausbauen – remove
umbauen – renovate
bieten – offer
anbieten – offer
verbieten – forbid
denken – think
bedenken – consider, remember, think about
nachdenken – consider
überdenken – ponder
dienen – serve
bedienen – serve
verdienen – earn
fallen – fall
ausfallen – fail
einfallen – collapse
entfallen – be-omitted
verfallen – expire (be no longer valid)
fangen – catch
anfangen – begin
empfangen or empfängen – recieve
greifen – grab
begreifen – comprehend
eingreifen – intervene
ergreifen – apprehend
handeln – behave (in a certain way, good or bad)
behandeln – attend-to, handle, medicate
verhandeln – negotiate
kaufen – buy (purchase)
einkaufen – shop (in a store, even if you don’t buy anything)
verkaufen – sell
klären – clarify
erklären – explain
langen – reach-for
verlangen – desire
laufen – run
verlaufen – proceed
legen – lay-down (something somewhere)
anlegen – invest
belegen – occupy, verify
hinterlegen – stow
verlegen – misplace, move-it-elsewhere
vorlegen – present
ließen – let, leave-alone or make-available-for-rent
verließen – desert (withdraw help and walk away from)
schreiben – write
beschreiben – describe
unterschreiben – add-your-signature-to
scheiden – make-separate, get-divorced
entscheiden – settle
unterscheiden – differentiate
steigen – climb
aussteigen – get off (as in get off a train)
einsteigen – board (as in get on a train), enter
umsteigen – switch (as in switch trains), transfer
suchen – search-for
besuchen – visit
untersuchen – investigate
versuchen – attempt
tragen – wear (clothing), carry
betragen – be
beitragen – contribute
beantragen – apply-for
ertragen – endure
treffen – meet
betreffen – affect (cause an effect)
treten – step (as in walk)
antreten – compete
auftreten – occur
betreten – enter (like a building)
eintreten – enter (like a building), occur
vertreten – represent
warten – wait
abwarten – wait
erwarten – anticipate
wählen – select
auswählen – choose (from a limited number of options)
Some less common verb families
achten – pay-attention, think highly of
beachten – notice
beobachten – observe
binden – tie (like a knot)
verbinden – connect
breiten – spread (like butter on toast)
verbreiten – disseminate, distribute
deuten – interpret
bedeuten – mean (as in I mean everyone, not just you)
enden – finish, cease
beenden – finish, stop
fassen – take
befassen – deal
erfassen – capture
umfassen – include
fehlen – be-without-something
empfehlen – recommend
füllen – fill
erfüllen – fulfill (an expectation, promise, or agreement)
lösen – solve
auslösen – trigger (an event)
melden – report
abmelden – disconnect-from
anmelden – enroll
passen – be-suitable
anpassen – adjust
raten – guess
beraten – give-advice-to
verraten – betray
richten – judge
berichten – report
einrichten – arrange
errichten – establish
rufen – call (like shouting)
anrufen – phone (call on the telephone)
aufrufen – call upon (as in visit)
stimmen – vote
bestimmen – determine
teilen – split-apart, share
erteilen – give (a due share of supplies)
verteilen – distribute
treiben – drive (control a vehicle or something else)
betreiben – operate (like a machine)
vertreiben – expel, sell
weisen – point-to
aufweisen – exhibit
beweisen – prove
erweisen – bestow
nachweisen – prove
verweisen – refer-to
wenden – turn
verwenden – expend
werben – advertise
bewerben – apply
erwerben – acquire
wirken – act
auswirken – impact-upon
bewirken – cause
zählen – count
erzählen – tell
zeichnen – draw
bezeichnen – describe
verzeichnen – record (as in taking notes)
Look for Jennie’s German Language Classroom for English Speakers on a Wednesday near the end of the month.
Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Freeman. In particular, permission is not granted to assemble the parts of this series together and distribute them. You may of course post links to the individual posts.
