Introduction
Some German verbs can be eitherseparable orinseparable, depending on theirprefix and thecontext. These verbs can have different meanings depending on whether they are treated as separable or inseparable.
Common Verbs That Can Be Both
Here are some verbs that can be eitherseparable orinseparable, depending on the context:
| Verb |
Separable Meaning |
Inseparable Meaning |
| durchfahren |
to drive through (a tunnel) |
to travel through (a country) |
| umfahren |
to knock down (with a vehicle) |
to drive around (an obstacle) |
| übertreten |
to step over (a line) |
to break (a rule) |
| unterstellen |
to put something under (for shelter) |
to insinuate |
| wiederholen |
to bring back (fetch again) |
to repeat |
| übersetzen |
to ferry across (a river) |
to translate |
Examples of Either Separable or Inseparable Verbs in Sentences
1. Separable: Ich fahre durch den Tunnel durch. (I drive through the tunnel.)
Inseparable: Ich durchfahre das ganze Land. (I travel through the entire country.)
2. Separable: Er fährt das Schild um. (He knocks down the sign.)
Inseparable: Er umfährt das Hindernis. (He drives around the obstacle.)
3. Separable: Sie tritt die Linie über. (She steps over the line.)
Inseparable: Sie übertretet das Gesetz. (She breaks the law.)
4. Separable: Wir stellen den Tisch unter. (We put the table under shelter.)
Inseparable: Sie unterstellt ihm Lügen. (She insinuates that he is lying.)
5. Separable: Ich hole das Buch wieder. (I fetch the book again.)
Inseparable: Ich wiederhole den Satz. (I repeat the sentence.)
Practice Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct separable or inseparable form:
- 1. Er ________ die Mauer um. (to knock down)
- 2. Sie ________ das Buch. (to repeat)
- 3. Wir ________ die Brücke über. (to cross)
- 4. Ich ________ die Straße durch. (to drive through)
- 5. Er ________ das Gesetz. (to break)
Answers
- 1. Er fährt die Mauer um. (to knock down)
- 2. Sie wiederholt das Buch. (to repeat)
- 3. Wir überfahren die Brücke. (to cross)
- 4. Ich fahre die Straße durch. (to drive through)
- 5. Er übertretet das Gesetz. (to break)
Additional Notes
Theprefix of a verb helps determine whether it isseparable orinseparable. The meaning of the verb can change depending on this distinction. Be sure to pay attention to the context to understand whether the verb is separable or inseparable.