Separable Verbs

SEPARABLE VERBS

Some verbs are accompanied by a prefix. Depending on the prefixes the meaning changes. Ex. “nenkomen” is “come in”, “trigjkomen” is “return”.

VERBS THAT ARE SEPARABLE: All verbs with the following prefixes are separable. Some prefixes have a consistent meaning; however, others simply modify the base verb in different ways and may not follow a consistent rule!

Prefix: Examples: wada- wadakomen (come again), wadaholen (fetch again, review), wadastonen (stand against, (again, resist) against) trigj- trigjkomen (come back, return), trigjdenkjen (think back), trigjhoolen (hold back) (back) unja- unjagonen (go under, sink), unjakjrieen (conquer), unjaordnen (subject) (under) derch- derchgonen (go through), derchfieren (complete), derchmoaken (persevere) (through) rauf- raufgonen (go down), raufkjikjen (look down), raufloten (let down) (down) auf- aufstaumen (to originate from), aufbliewen (to stay away), aufdeelen (to portion off, to (off) distribute) aun- aundoonen (to do upon, to inflict), aunfangen (to start), aunfoten (to touch), aunhoolen (to (on) hold on, to persist) nopp- noppgonen (to rise, go up), nopplajen (to place on top of), noppsprinjen (to jump onto) (on top of) opp- oppaussen (to watch out), oppbuen (to build up), oppfaulen (to be remarkable) (up) ut- utbliewen (to leave out), utfieren (to carry out a task), utdenkjen (to think out, to contrive) (out) rut- ruthäwen (to life out, to emphasize), rutgonen (to go out), ruthalpen (to help out) (out of) wajch- wajchbliewen (to stay away), wajchfoaren (to drive away), wajchjäwen (to give away) (away)

fuat- fuatranen (to run away), fuatschekjen (to send away), fuatjäwen (to give away) (away) en- enwoaren (to realize), enbillen (to cause someone to imagine), enjankren (to tempt) (in) nen- nenkomen (to come in), nenbrinjen (to bring in), nengonen (to go in) (into) met- metkomen (come with), metdeelen (to share), metfeelen (to feel with, to empathize) (with) loos- looskjeepen (to buy free, redeem, buy back), looskomen (to come free), loosfoaren (to (free) depart)

äwa- äwabliewen (to leave over, to remain), äwagonen (to go over), äwakomen (overcome) (over) toop- tooppaussen (to fit together), toopkomen (to come together), toopsaumlen (to gather) (together) bie- biefaulen (to recollect), biestonen (to stand by, to support) (by) väa- väastalen (to imagine), väaschmieten (to throw before, to accuse), väabrinjen (to bring (before) before, to propose or present) too- tooloten (to allow), toohorchen (to listen to), toomoaken (to make closed) (close; modifies verb) no- nodenkjen (meditate), noloten (to let off or slack off), nodoonen (to imitate), (modifies nojäwen (to give in) verb) dol- dolsaten (to sit down), dolrieten (to tear down) (down) wieda- wiedamoaken (to continue), wiedagonen (to go further) (further)

VERBS THAT ARE NOT SEPARABLE:

If you see a verb that starts with these prefixes, don’t separate!

Prefix: Examples: ve- vestonen (to understand), veuasoaken (to cause), veuadeelen (to judge or condem) (modifies verb) be- beauntwuaten (to answer), beoobachten (to observe), befrieen (to marry) (modifies verb) er- erfoaren (to experience), erheiren (to answer a prayer), erkjläaren (to explain) (modifies verb) je- jefaulen (to please), jebuaren (to be born), jehieren (to belong to) (modifies verb)

● NOTE: These verbs also never get je- added to them when making the past participle. Ex. Jehova haud Sodom un Gomorra veuadeelt.

● NOTE: Sometimes you will see verbs that start with the letters in the “separable” table but are not separable. This is because the table only applies to p refixes. Basically, if you don’t have two words that make sense when you separate the word, then don’t separate it! Ex: “endren” starts with “en-”, but since “-dren” isn’t a word this isn’t a separable verb.

WHEN SEPARABLE VERBS SEPARATE:

● When the separable verb is the 1 st verb in the sentence or phrase, in this case the verb separates, and the prefix is placed at the e nd of the sentence or phrase. The root verb goes right after the subject, like normal. ● Remember: Separable verbs still follow the normal rules for conjugating simple present and past tense; they just get split up. ● Keep it simple! If you’re not sure where to put the prefix or you find including it hard to remember, just put it right after the root word. That counts as a phrase, and then it doesn’t get lost in a big sentence.  E x. Hee woat en... ● When reading or talking, emphasize the p refix. T his helps your listeners pick up on the fact that you’re using a separable verb.

EXAMPLES:

1. Bliew w ajch von aules, waut met Zaubarie to doonen haft. (S tay a way from everything that has to do with the occult.)

2. Wie d oonen Jesus n o, wan wie dolla doarom todoonen sent, waut aundre fält, aus om daut, waut ons fält. (We i mitate Jesus when we are more concerned about what others need than what we need.)

CHALLENGE: In the following examples, can you highlight both parts of the separable verbs? Can you translate the sentence yourself without looking at the English translation, or at least figure out what the separable verb means?

1. Ekj lod die vondoag en. (I invite you today).

2. Wan soont passieet, dan fangen väle aun, doaräwa notodenkjen, waut de Senn em Läwen es. (When such happens, then many start to think about what the purpose in life is).

3. Hee woat en, daut hee waut endren mott. (He realizes that he has to change something.)

4. Jehova stunt jieda eenem von dee leeftolich bie. (Jehova lovingly supported each one of them.)

5. Paust daut met de Schreft toop? (Does that agree with the Scriptures?)

WHEN SEPARABLE VERBS DON’T SEPARATE:

● If you know the rules that send a verb to the end of a sentence, then you already know the rules for when separable verbs don’t separate! There are 2 main rules:

1. If a ny other verb is u sed first, (a.k.a if there are t wo verbs i n the phrase or sentence), like an auxiliary verb for example, the separable verb goes on the end and it doesn’t separate. E x. Ekj doo die enloden. 2. Words like aus, wan, waut, daut, bat, send the verb to the end and keep the verb together. This usually happens in the second part of a sentence. You can also think of it this way -- if one part of the sentence doesn’t make sense on its own, this means it is a d ependent clause, and verbs always stay together and move to the end in this case. Ex. Wie saten ons dol, wan daut Toopkomen aunfangt.

● Whenever “je-” has to be placed in these verbs, it will be placed between the prefix and the rest of the verb. E x. Nenjekomen. ● Similarly, when you need to add “to” to make the sentence make sense, it goes in between the prefix and the rest of the verb. E x. Daut es june Veauntwuatunk, no dee opptopaussen. ● With separable verbs, when pronouncing remember that the emphasis is placed on the prefix whether it’s separated or not.

EXAMPLES:

1. Wie w ellen onsen leeftoljen Voda n odoonen. (We want to i mitate o ur loving Father.)

2. Wan wie e nwoaren, daut wie daut tietelje too sea leewen, dan mott wie doa fuaz waut aun doonen. (When we r ealize that we love material things too much, then we must immediately do something.)

3. Christus h aft ons loosjekoft. (Christ has r edeemed us.)

4. Woo kaun de Hopninj ons halpen, d aut wie ons eenich sent, kjeenmol o pptojäwen? (How can the hope help us that we are determined never t o give up? )

CHALLENGE: In the following examples, can you find the separable verbs? Can you highlight what is keeping them together? And can you translate the sentence yourself without looking at the English translation, or at least figure out what the separable verb means?

1. Daut es fein, wan eena Leew haft un wellich waut fa aundre oppjeft. (It is good when one has love and willingly gives up something for others.)

2. Wan jie toopschaufen, woat dise schwoare Oabeit väl goodet brinjen. (When you work together, this hard work will bring much good.)

3. “Gott . . . woat daut nich tooloten, daut jie schwanda vesocht woaren, aus jie Krauft haben.” (God will not allow that you are tested harder than you have strength [for]).

4. Jehova un de Breeda holpen mie wiedatomoaken. (Jehovah and the brothers helped me to continue.)

5. Jesus haud selfst eenje von de Schwierichkjeiten derchjemoakt, waut de Menschen hauden. (Jesus had himself gone through some of the hardships that the people had.)

This table summarizes how to construct a basic sentence using separable verbs:

SEPARABLE WORKSHEET

TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES AND CIRCLE THE SEPARABLE VERB:

1. Petrus funk aun unjatogonen.

2. Wuarom lat Gott too, daut Menschen lieden motten?

3. Läst jieda Dach de Schreft un denkjt doa goot äwa no.

4. Ekj wort en, daut daut orrajcht wia.

5. Wie doonen Christus no, wan wie no Jeläajenheiten sieekjen, om met aundre äwa de goode Norecht to räden.

TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO LOW GERMAN:

6. The meeting has started.

7. He does not give up.

8. Jehovah gathers his people together.

9. We should imitate Jesus.

10. Stay away!

11. We show our love when we support our brothers.

12. Jehovah answers our prayers.

13. Imagine that!

TRY MAKING YOUR OWN SENTENCES USING SEPARABLE VERBS: