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Separable Verbs

Learn how separable verbs work in German and how prefixes change position depending on sentence structure and tense.

Separable verbs in German consist of a base verb and a separable prefix. In many sentence types, especially in the present tense main clause, the prefix moves to the end of the sentence, while the verb stem stays in the second position. This behavior can be confusing for learners, but it follows clear and predictable rules.

In this guide, you will learn:

  • what separable verbs are and how they are formed

  • how prefixes behave in main clauses and other sentence types

  • how separable verbs work in different tenses

  • common learner mistakes with word order and prefix placement

This guide helps English-speaking learners understand separable verbs as a structured system and use them correctly in everyday German sentences.

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