изпод/измежду/отвъд

Compound Prepositions

Level 5Sounds Like izpod/izmeždu/otvʺd

Из- (out of) joins a place word: изпод леглото (from under the bed), иззад облаците (from behind the clouds). Отвъд реката means beyond the river.

How It Works

1. Built with из-. Three common prepositions add из (out of) to a simple preposition of place. They are written as one word:

  • изпод = from under: Котката излезе изпод леглото. (The cat came out from under the bed.)
  • иззад = from behind: Иззад облаците се показа слънцето. (The sun came out from behind the clouds.)
  • измежду = from among: Избери една книга измежду тези. (Choose one book from among these.)

2. Movement out of a place. With verbs such as излизам, изваждам and подавам се, the compound form shows where the movement starts. Compare Ключовете са под дивана (The keys are under the sofa) with Извадих ключовете изпод дивана (I took the keys out from under the sofa).

3. Choosing from a group. Измежду singles someone out from a group, or places them within it: Той беше най-добрият измежду всички ученици (He was the best among all the students). In this use it is close to сред.

4. Отвъд. Отвъд means on the other side of or beyond: отвъд реката, отвъд границата, отвъд океана. It can also stand alone as an adverb: Минахме отвъд (We crossed to the other side). In abstract, formal style it means beyond the limits of: отвъд възможностите ни (beyond our abilities).

5. A set phrase. Изпод перото на... (from the pen of...) says who wrote something: Романът излезе изпод перото на млада авторка (The novel came from the pen of a young author).

Like от, изпод, иззад and измежду mark where a movement starts, but they also say whether it starts under, behind or among something. They often pair with prefixed verbs of motion such as излизам and изпълзявам.

Examples (6)

  1. Котката излезе изпод леглото.

    The cat came out from under the bed.

  2. Извадих ключовете изпод дивана.

    I took the keys out from under the sofa.

  3. Иззад облаците се показа слънцето.

    The sun came out from behind the clouds.

  4. Избери една книга измежду тези.

    Choose one book from among these.

  5. Отвъд реката започва гората.

    Beyond the river the forest begins.

  6. Романът излезе изпод перото на млада авторка.

    The novel came from the pen of a young author.

    A set phrase naming the author.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the compound preposition as two words.

    Котката излезе из под леглото.
    Котката излезе изпод леглото.

    Изпод, иззад and измежду are single words, so they are written together.

  • Using под when something comes out from under a place.

    Извадих ключовете под дивана.
    Извадих ключовете изпод дивана.

    Под only says where something is. When the action starts under something and moves out, use изпод.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

изпод/измежду/отвъдLevel 5Compound Prepositions

Learn This First

Compound prepositions follow prepositions of place.

Words in This Pattern

изподизмеждуотвъдотвъд