20 Weird German Separable Verbs

German separable verbs can be a headache for learners. Tiny prefixes like ab-, auf-, or rum- fly to the end of the sentence, changing the meaning in sometimes funny, sometimes confusing ways. But they’re also one of the most colorful and culture-rich parts of German.

Here’s a list of 20 separable verbs that Germans use all the time, often in ways that make learners laugh (or panic).

1. fernsehen – literally “to see far”

It sounds like a superpower (“I can see far into the distance”), but in German it just means to watch TV.

• Abends sehe ich gern fern. → I like to watch TV in the evenings.
• Wir haben gestern den ganzen Tag ferngesehen. → We watched a TV all day yesterday.

2. abschleppen – literally “to tow away”

In standard German, it means towing a car. But in slang, it also means picking someone up at a bar.

• Mein Auto wurde abgeschleppt. → My car got towed.
• Er hat gestern im Club eine Frau abgeschleppt. → He picked up a woman at the club.

3. umfahren – to drive around / to run over

This one’s dangerous: same verb, different stress, opposite meanings.

• Wir haben die Stadt umfahren. → We drove around the city. (fahren is stressed)
• Er hat beinahe den Hund umgefahren. → He almost ran over the dog. (um is stressed)

4. aufstehen – literally “to stand up”

It’s logical for “standing up,” but Germans also use it for getting out of bed.

• Ich stehe jeden Morgen um 7 Uhr auf. → I get up at 7 a.m.
• Bitte steh auf, wenn der Lehrer kommt. → Please stand up when the teacher comes.

5. abfahren – literally “to drive off”

Besides buses and trains, “departing” slang use means to freak out or get really excited.

• Der Zug fährt um 9 Uhr ab. → The train departs at 9 o’clock.
• Er fährt total auf diese Band ab. → He’s crazy about this band.

6. ausflippen – literally “to flip out”

Used like in English, but it just sounds sillier in German.

• Sie ist vor Freude ausgeflippt. → She freaked out with joy.
• Er flippt immer aus, wenn sein Team verliert. → He always freaks out when his team loses.

7. rumknutschen – literally “to kiss around”

Very casual, often used for “making out.”

• Die Teenager haben im Kino rumgeknutscht. → The teenagers were making out in the cinema.
• Sie knutschen ständig rum. → They’re always making out.

8. draufgehen – literally “to go on top”

Sounds funny, but it means either to die or to break/wear out.

• Mein Handy ist draufgegangen. → My phone broke.
• Viele Soldaten sind im Krieg draufgegangen. → Many soldiers died in the war.

9. abnippeln – slang for “to die” (in a joking way)

This is very casual and not meant for serious situations. You’ll often hear it when people are exaggerating about exhaustion, laughter, or something breaking down.

• Ich bin beim Training fast abgenippelt. → I nearly died during that workout.
• Meine alte Waschmaschine ist gestern abgenippelt. → My old washing machine finally bit the dust.

10. durchziehen – literally “to pull through”

It can mean finishing something tough, or slang for smoking a joint.

• Ich muss das Projekt noch durchziehen. → I still have to push through the project.
• Wir haben gestern einen Joint durchgezogen. → We smoked a joint yesterday.

11. anbaggern – literally “to dig on”

Colloquial verb for hitting on someone.

• Er hat sie die ganze Party angebaggert. → He hit on her the whole party.
• Ich hasse es, im Club angebaggert zu werden. → I hate getting hit on at clubs.

12. aufdrehen – literally “to turn up”

Used for faucets, radios, etc., but also for people going hyper.

• Kannst du bitte das Wasser aufdrehen? → Can you turn on the water?
• Die Kinder haben total aufgedreht. → The kids went completely hyper.

13. rumsitzen – literally “to sit around”

Means doing nothing productive.

• Am Wochenende sitze ich nur rum. → On weekends I just sit around.
• Sie saßen den ganzen Tag im Park rum. → They sat around/hung out in the park all day.

14. wegschmeißen – literally “to throw away”

Besides the literal meaning, Germans also use it jokingly for laughing.

• Ich habe die alten Zeitungen weggeschmissen. → I threw away the old newspapers.
• Die Show war so lustig, ich hab’ mich weggeschmissen! → The show was so funny, I cracked up!

15. anschnauzen – literally “to bark at someone”

Colloquial for yelling or scolding.

• Der Chef hat ihn angeschnauzt. → The boss yelled at him.
• Sie schnauzte ihn an. → She snapped at him.

16. anpöbeln – literally “to verbally harass someone”

Used when strangers verbally harass someone in public.

• Er wurde von Betrunkenen angepöbelt. → He was harassed by drunk people.
• Die Fans haben den Schiedsrichter angepöbelt. → The fans shouted insults at the referee.

17. durchdrehen – literally “to spin through”

Means to go crazy/lose control.

• Ich drehe gleich durch! → I’m about to lose it!
• Als er das sah, ist er völlig durchgedreht. → When he saw that, he completely lost it.

18. ausrasten – literally “to un-rack/un-restraint”

Means to freak out, positive or negative.

• Sie ist vor Freude ausgerastet. → She freaked out with joy.
• Er rastet immer aus, wenn er Hunger hat. → He always freaks out when he’s hungry.

19. abblitzen lassen – to blow someone off / to shoot something down

A colorful way to say to be rejected.

• Sie hat ihn nach dem Date abblitzen lassen. → She blew him off after the date.
• Der Chef hat mich mit meiner Idee abblitzen lassen. → The boss shot down my idea.

20. draufhauen – literally “to hit on top”

It can mean hitting something hard or spending recklessly.

• Der Boxer hat richtig draufgehauen. → The boxer really hit hard.
• Am Wochenende haben wir das ganze Geld draufgehauen. → We blew all the money on the weekend.

Final Thoughts

German separable verbs aren’t just grammar puzzles. They’re full of humor, double meanings, and cultural flavor. From fernsehen (watching TV) to abblitzen (getting rejected), these verbs show how creative German can be.

Next time you hear someone say sie haben sich weggeschmissen or sie sind total ausgerastet, you’ll know: it’s more than just words, it’s German in action.