German : inseparable prefixes

German : inseparable prefixes

Verbs has several associated compound verbs which are formed by adding a prefix to it.

There are 9 prefixes in German which can be added to verbs in this way to form compound verbs.

they are: be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miß, ver-, wider-, zer-

1. None of them exists as an independent word, they are always unstressed and verbs which begin with any of thwem DO NOT add the prefix ge- to form the participle.

eg.,
beschließen, beschloß, beschlossen ( to resolve)
verschließen,verschloß, verschlossen (to lock)

Because they are NEVER separated from the tem of the verb, they are known as inseparable prefixes.

2. Each of the inseparable prefixes tends to modify the meaning of the root verb in a consistent way.

The prefixes SHIFTS the stress on to the FOLLOWING syllable, and they have NO " -ge" in the past participle.