I mentioned the inseparable verbs earlier. For example, vertrekken. The prefix ver- is never separated from the rest of the word. But now it’s time for the opposite type — the separable verbs. The prefixes of these verbs separate and move around a sentence.
The infinitive form is always a single word. The added prefix change the meaning of the base verb:
gaan — to go
meegaan — to go along (with)
uitgaan — to go out
weggaan — to go away
In the present tense the verb remains in the second position in a sentence, while prefix goes to the final position:
weggaan: Zij gaat vandaag weg. — She’s going away today.
To form a question the subject and the verb should be swapped:
meegaan: Ga je vanavond met on mee? — Are you coming with us tonight?
The past participle has -ge- inserted between the prefix and the verb:
meegegaan
uitgegaan
weggegaan
opbellen: Ik heb hem gisteren opgebeld — I called him yesterday.
aankomen: Zij zijn vanochtend op het station aangekomen. — They arrived at the station this morning.
The prefixes in the table below are always separable:
prefix | infinitive | past participle | translation |
---|---|---|---|
af- | afmaken | afgemaakt | to finish |
in- | inbreken | ingebroken | to break in |
mee- | meenemen | meegenomen | to take along |
op- | opeten | opgegeten | to eat up |
tegen- | tegenkomen | tegengekomen | to meet, to run into |
toe- | toenemen | toegenomen | to increase, to grow |
uit- | uitsteken | uitgestoken | to hold out one’s hand |
The following prefixes are separable when stressed but inseparable when unstressed: aan-, door-, om-, onder-, over-, voor-
Stressed and separable
prefix | infinitive | past participle | translation |
---|---|---|---|
aan- | aankomen | aangekomen | to arrive |
om- | ombrengen | omgebracht | to kill |
voor- | voorstellen | voorgesteld | to represent, to propose, to suggest |
Unstressed and inseparable
prefix | infinitive | past participle | translation |
---|---|---|---|
aan- | aanvaarden | aanvaard | to accept |
om- | omarmen | omarmd | to embrace |
voor- | voorkomen | voorkomen | to prevent |