Separable verbs are one of those beautifully logical quirks of German – the prefix hops off the verb and parks itself at the end of the clause, turning anfangen into fangen … an. If you’ve ever stumbled mid-sentence trying to remember where that little piece goes, this list is your new best friend.
We’ve rounded up about 60 of the most common separable verbs you’ll actually use, not the obscure ones that only appear in grammar textbooks. Each verb comes with a straightforward meaning and a realistic example sentence so you can see it in action. No fluff, no confusing jargon – just practical German you can steal for your next conversation.
Ready for a little verb adventure? This German set likes to split, stick together, and generally keep learners on their toes, so take your time and enjoy the ride. Scroll to the bottom to find the free printable German separable verbs PDF vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable German separable verbs PDF flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker German section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve already got a handle on these tricky prefixes? The quick quiz below will show you how much you really know – no pressure, just a friendly nudge to help the new words stick.
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Güte | kindness, goodness | |
| Hintern | bottom, behind, backside | |
| Homepage | home page | |
| Ich anrufe dich. | Ich rufe dich an. | The prefix does not stay attached in a main clause. |
| Ich anrufe dich. | Ich rufe dich an. | The prefix does not stay attached in a main clause. |
| Ich habe dich besuchtet. | Ich habe dich besucht. | Inseparable verbs do not take a second ending like English past tense. |
| Ich habe dich besuchtet. | Ich habe dich besucht. | Inseparable verbs do not take a second ending like English past tense. |
| Ich habe dich geanrufen. | Ich habe dich angerufen. | With separable verbs, ge comes after the prefix. |
| Ich habe dich geanrufen. | Ich habe dich angerufen. | With separable verbs, ge comes after the prefix. |
| Ich rufe dich an. | call someone | I call you. |
| Ich rufe dich an. | call someone | I call you. |
| Ich verstehe dich. | understand | I understand you. |
| Ich verstehe dich. | understand | I understand you. |
| jawohl | yes | |
| Kannst du das anmachen? | Kannst du das anmachen? | The infinitive keeps the prefix attached. |
| Kannst du das anmachen? | Kannst du das anmachen? | The infinitive keeps the prefix attached. |
| kaufen | verkaufen | to sell |
| kaufen | verkaufen | to sell |
| Köchin | female cook, chef | |
| kommen | ankommen | to arrive |
| kommen | ankommen | to arrive |
| Lee | lee, leeward | |
| losfahren | depart, drive off, set off, leave | |
| machen | anmachen | to turn on / to flirt with |
| machen | anmachen | to turn on / to flirt with |
Free German Separable Verbs PDF Vocabulary List and Flashcards
Use the purple vocab-list button to grab the German separable verbs PDF vocabulary list, and the teal flashcards button for the German separable verbs PDF flashcards. Both downloads are 100% free, with no signup needed.
