Have you seen a German verb like this “nachdenken über“? You probably did and wondered what in the world it is or how on earth are you going to use it in a sentence. Should you use it like the normal preposition or? Well, you ain’t alone. I equally felt this same way when i first started learning german. It didn’t get easier either not until I realised it was the same as the English “PHRASAL VERB” then just like the ocean, it became clearer. What then is a phrasal verb?
Content in this post |
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1. What verbs with preposition are 2. Prepositions that are always Akkusativ 3. Prepositions that are always Dativ 4. Prepositions that are both Akkusativ and Dativ 5. Non-reflexive verb with preposition and how to use them in a sentence 6. Reflexive verbs with prepositions and how to use them in a sentence 7. How to ask questions using verb with preposition 8. How to respond to yes/no questions formed with verb with preposition |
From the English definition, a phrasal verb is the combination of a verb and a preposition or an adverb which therefore takes a new meaning. This is equally the same in German with the preposition serving it’s normal purpose of relating two items to eachother thereby giving rise to a prepositional object in the sentence.
A phrasal verb in german can either give rise to an Akkusativ or a Dativ case. This is dependent on the grammatical case that is assigned to the prepositions with respect to this topic. What this means is that a preposition that is known to belong to Akkusativ might not be anymore. This is often seen in two-case prepositions.
One good thing is that the known akkusativ prepositions (für, um, gegen, bis, durch) and those of dativ (nach, mit, bei, aus, von, zu) stay assigned to each other. The challenging part is with the two-case prepositions since they are assigned to both akkusativ and dativ at different times.
However, these prepositions may or may not be literally translated with their earlier known meanings when they are used as verb with preposition. Take for instance warten auf; literally, auf means on/in but when used with warten, it becomes for. Hence, the new meaning of “warten auf” becomes “to wait for” as opposed to the literal meaning “to wait on/ wait in”. The german verbs with preposition can be classified into two groups;
- Non-reflexive verb with preposition
- Reflexive verb with preposition
Non-reflexive verb with prepositions
This category of german verbs with preposition are not accompanied by a reflexive pronouns. Some examples are shown in the table below…
Akkusativ verb + preposition | English meaning | Akkusativ verb + preposition | English meaning |
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denken an | to think of | sein gegen | to be against |
glauben an | to believe in | stimmen gegen | to vote against |
kommen an | to come to | wählen in | to select in |
schicken an | to send to | berichten über | to report about |
schreiben an | to write to | beschließen über | to finish off |
sterben an | to die of | denken über | to think about |
achten auf | to pay attention to | diskutieren über | to discuss about |
ankommen auf | to depend on | erschrecken über | to be frightened by |
antworten auf | to answer to | erzählen über | to give account of |
aufpassen auf | to take care of | klagen über | to nag about |
bestehen auf | to insist on | lachen über | to laugh about |
hoffen auf | to hope for | lesen über | to read about |
warten auf | to wait for | nachdenken über | to reflect on |
ausgeben für | to spend for | reden über | to talk about |
bezahlen für | to pay for | sagen über | to say about |
brauchen für | to need for | schimpfen über | to swear about |
danken für | to thank for | schreiben über | to write on |
halten für | to take for | sprechen über | to speak about |
kämpfen für | to fight for | streiten über | to quarrel/argue about |
sein für | to be for | verfügen über | to have access to |
sorgen für | to care for | weinen über | to cry/weep over |
tun für | to do for | bitten um | to request/plead for |
kämpfen gegen | to fight against | gehen um | to revolve around |
protestieren gegen | to protest against | leiden unter | to suffer about |
Dativ verb + preposition | English meaning | Dativ verb + preposition | English meaning |
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ändern an | to change about | riechen nach | to smell like |
arbeiten an | to work on | suchen nach | to search for |
hindern an | to prevent from | schmecken nach | to taste like |
leiden an | to suffer from | abhängen von | to depend on |
teilnehmen an | to partake in | erfahren von | to learn about |
zweifeln an | to have doubt about | erzählen von | to recount/recall on |
bestehen aus | to consist/be made of | halten von | to regard as |
arbeiten bei | to work for | handeln von | to be about |
helfen bei | to help with | hören von | to hear of |
zuhören bei | to listen to | leben von | to live off |
zusehen bei | to look out for | reden von | to talk of |
zuschauen bei | to watch out for | träumen von | to dream of |
anfangen mit | to start with | verstehen von | to be skilled in |
aufhören mit | to stop with | wissen von | to know about |
beginnen mit | to begin with | fliehen vor | to flee from |
diskutieren mit | to discuss with | retten vor | to save from |
handeln mit | to trade by/in | warnen vor | to warn of |
rechnen mit | to count on | einladen zu | to invite to |
spielen mit | to play with | gehören zu | to belong to |
sprechen mit | to speak to | gratulieren zu | to congratulate on |
streiten mit | to quarrel/argue with | kommen zu | to come to |
telefonieren mit | to be on call with | sagen zu | to say to |
vergleichen mit | to compare with | schicken zu | to send to |
fragen nach | to ask after | werden zu | to become |
A german sentence with a non-reflexive verb with preposition places the preposition directly after the conjugated verb when there is no direct/indirect object but when there is a direct/indirect object, the preposition is placed after the object (that is usually at the end of the sentence in the absence of other displacing factors). See the exemplary sentences below…
Usage |
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1. I am writing to mr Craig.–– Ich schreiben an Herrn Craig. 2. Please pay attention to every error.–– Bitte achten Sie auf jeden Fehler. 3. Ana is on call with her friend.–– Ana telefoniert mit ihrer Freundin. 4. A neighbour saved the baby yesterday from the burning house.–– Ein Nachbar hat gestern das baby vor dem brennenden Haus gerettet. 5. it is important to reflect on the questions from journalists before you answer them.–– Es ist wichtig, über die Fragen nachzudenken, bevor du sie beantwortest. 6. The nanny takes very good care of our daughter.–– Die Kinderpflegerin passt sehr gut auf unsere Tochter auf. |
Note that example 4 and 6 contain an adverb each. Hence the natural law of placing a german adverb must apply. Scroll down to see the links to all laws that can displace the position of the preposition.
Reflexive verb with prepositions
This category of verbs with prepositions are always accompanied by a reflexive pronoun when there is neither a direct nor an indirect object in the sentence. Some german reflexive verb with preposition are listed below.
Akkusativ verb + preposition | English meaning | Dativ verb + preposition | English meaning |
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sich erinnern an | to remind oneself of | sich beteiligen an | to participate in |
sich gewöhnen an | to get used to | sich bedanken bei | to thank someone |
sich halten an | to abide by | sich beschweren bei | to complain to |
sich wenden an | to turn to | sich bewerben bei | to apply to/at |
sich beziehen auf | to refer to | sich entschuldigen bei | to apologize to |
sich freuen auf | to look forward to | sich informieren bei | to inform oneself with |
sich konzentrieren auf | to concentrate on | sich melden bei | to report to |
sich verlassen auf | to rely on | sich irren in | to be wrong in |
sich vorbereiten auf | to prepare oneself for | sich tauschen in | to be disappointed in |
sich bedanken für | to thank for | sich beschäftigen mit | to be concerned with |
sich eignen für | to be suited for | sich einandersetzen mit | to sit down with |
sich entscheiden für | to decide on | sich streiten mit | to have a fight with |
sich entschuldigen für | to apologize for | sich treffen mit | to meet with |
sich interessieren für | to be interested in | sich unterhalten mit | to talk with |
sich sorgen für | to worry for | sich verabreden mit | to arrange (to meet) with |
sich verlieben in | to fall in love with | sich verloben mit | to get engaged to |
sich ägern über | to get angry about/with | sich verstehen mit | to get along with |
sich aufregen über | to be excited about | sich erkundigen nach | to ask after |
sich beschweren über | to complain about | sich richten nach | to be based on |
sich freuen über | to be glad about | sich sehnen nach | to long for |
sich informieren über | to be informed about | sich erholen von | to recover from |
sich unterhalten über | to talk about | sich trennen von | to separate from |
sich wundern über | to wonder about | sich unterscheiden von | to be different from |
sich bemühen um | to strive for | sich verabschieden von | to say goodbye to |
sich bewerben um | to apply for | sich fürchten vor | to be afraid of |
sich drehen um | to turn around | sich hüten vor | to beware of |
sich handeln um | to be about | sich schützen vor | to protect oneself from |
sich kümmern um | to cater for/to | sich entschließen zu | to resolve to |
sich sorgen um | to be worry about | sich entwickeln zu | to develope into |
sich treffen zu | to meet for | ||
sich beraten über | to deliberate about |
While the preposition in a non-reflexive verb sentence is placed directly after the verb, that of a reflexive verb is placed directly after the reflexive pronoun (that is also at the end of the sentence in the absence of other displacing factors). This is illustrated below…
Usage |
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1. Ich freue mich im März mich auf deine Hochzeit.–– I look forward to your wedding in march. 2. Frau Miller wird sich um meine Katze kümmern, wenn ich nach Spanien reisen.–– Mrs Miller will cater to my cat when i travel to spain. 3. Herr Berger trennt sich von seiner Frau.–– Mr Berger is separating from his wife. 4. wir treffen uns im Restaurant Rafael mit unserem einmaligen Kollegen.–– We are meeting with our former colleague In Rafael’s restaurant. |
How to ask questions using verb with prepositions
Questions that involve verb with preposition are quite different from those that are not with prepositions. This is often seen with W-Fragen otherwise known as question-word questions. For a yes/no question, this difference is not as obvious.
Note that, not all the question words are used with verbs with preposition as some question-words such as was and wer will lose their efficacy. Some of the question-words that can be used include;
- Wo
- Wen
- Wem
- Warum
- Wann
- Wie
- Welch-
When asking a question with a question-word using a verb with preposition, it is necessary to first identify what the object is. For human objects that require interrogative pronouns as question-word, the preposition must be placed before them while for non-human objects, the preposition is placed after the question word with both attached together.
since the question word “was” is not used with verb with preposition, it is replaced by welch- and wo which then become the english for “what” where “wo” is assigned to inanimate objects and “welch-” to both animate objects and humans.
Yes/No question | Question-word questions |
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1. Sprichst du mit deinem Mann?–– Are you speaking to your husband? | 1. Mit wem sprichtst du?–– Who are you speaking to? |
2a. Sucht ihr nach etwas?–– Are you guys looking for something? 2b. Sucht dieser Mann nach jemandem?–– Is that man looking for someone?–– | 2a. Wonach sucht ihr?–– What are you guys looking for. 2b. Nach wem sucht dieser Mann?–– Who is that man searching for? |
3. Arbeitest du bei einer deutschen Firma?–– Are you working for a german company? | 3. Bei welcher deutscher Firma arbeitest du?–– What german company do you work for? |
4. Kannst du dich bei uns melden, wenn du arbeiten darfst?–– Can you report to us when you are allowed to work? | 4a. An wem meldest du, wenn du arbeiten darfst?–– Who are you reporting to when you are allowed to work? 4b. Woran meldest du?–– What are you reporting to? |
How to respond to yes/no questions asked with a verb + preposition
To respond to tag questions formed with verb with preposition, the prepositions are repeatedly used. This is particular when the response would involve using the english pronoun “It” which is translated as “es” in german. The proposition is then combined with the adverb “da” which then takes the meaning “it” in combination with the translation of the verb-preposition.
If the preposition ends with a vowel, an r is first added to da before it is combined with the preposition. Therefore, da becomes dar. For example; daran, darauf, darin darüber, davon, dagegen, dabei, dazu, dadurch etc. See the contrasting examples below…
Questions | Response |
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1. Bedankt ihr euch für das Brot? | Nein, wir bedanken uns dafür nicht. |
2. Freuest du dich auf die Prüfung? | Ja, ich freu mich darauf. |
3. Kann sie über das Geschichte erzählen? | Nein, sie kann leider darüber nicht erzählen. |
4. Sind sie gegen Ungerechtigkeit? | Natürlich! Wir sind dagegen. |
Links to the factors that can displace the position of the prepositions from being at the end of the sentence adverbs separable and modal verbs nicht perfect tense subordinate conjunctions |