German prefixes are the tiny building blocks that slip onto the front of verbs and flip their meanings completely. This list gathers around 45 of the most common prefixes you’ll meet in everyday German – the ones that appear in conversation, news, and casual reading.
Each entry gives you a plain‑English meaning and a natural example sentence, so you can see how the prefix changes a word’s job. No confusing grammar jargon – just practical vocabulary you can start using right away.
Scroll through the table to study at your own pace, and when you’re ready to work offline, grab the free PDF using the download button right below the table.
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Quick Quiz
Think you’ve got a handle on these prefixes already? Give the quick quiz below a try and see how many you can nail.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Lee | Other | lee, leeward |
| losfahren | Verb | depart, drive off, set off, leave |
| Mission | Other | mission |
| Monster | Other | monster |
| Operation | Other | operation |
| Paris | Other | Paris |
| schamlos | Adjective | shameless, unashamed, unabashed |
| schlachten | Verb | slaughter, kill, butcher |
| Stecker | Other | plug |
| trauen | Verb | marry, wed |
| übel | Adjective | bad, nasty |
| überrascht | Adjective | surprised |
| übersetzt | Adjective | excessive |
| veranstalten | Verb | organize -s- |
| verschlafen | Verb | sleep in, oversleep |
| vierzehn | Other | fourteen |
| Volk | Other | people, nation |
| weihnachten | Verb | Christmas is coming |
| worauf | Other | what are you still waiting for? |
| zelten | Verb | camp |
