Modals, separable verbs and requests
Separable verbs and the sentence bracket
Some verbs have a detachable prefix: aufstehen, einkaufen, anrufen, mitbringen, abholen, zumachen.
In a simple main clause: Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf. Rufst du mich an? The finite core stays near the front; the prefix goes to the end.
With a modal, the complete infinitive stays together: Ich muss früh aufstehen.
Common inseparable prefixes include be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, zer-. Do not detach bezahlen into zahle … be. Prefixes can change meaning substantially: kaufen buy, verkaufen sell. Not every superficially similar prefix behaves identically in every verb; consult the particular lexical entry.
Going to do an activity: common combinations include schwimmen gehen (go swimming), spazieren gehen (go for a walk) and einkaufen gehen (go shopping). Conjugate gehen and place the activity infinitive at the end of a simple main clause, without zu. These are two verbs, rather than a verb with a detached prefix.
Ich gehe heute schwimmen. Gehst du heute schwimmen? = I am going swimming today. Are you going swimming today? Hinglish: Main aaj tairne jaa raha hoon. Kya tum aaj tairne jaa rahe ho?
- Example
- Ich hole dich um sechs Uhr ab. Kannst du Brot mitbringen?
- English
- I will pick you up at six. Can you bring bread?
- Hinglish
- Main tumhe chhe baje lene aaoonga. Kya tum bread saath laa sakte ho?
Sie ruft ihre Mutter an. = She calls her mother.
Hinglish: Woh apni maa ko phone karti hai.
The separable prefix moves to the sentence end.