Participles of Separable Verbs

Level 2

In the participle of a separable verb, ge- goes in the middle: opstoen → opgestanen, ukucken → ugekuckt, zoumaachen → zougemaach.

How It Works

Prefix + participle of the simple verb

  • opstoen → op + gestanen → opgestanen
  • zoumaachen → zou + gemaach → zougemaach
  • uruffen → u + geruff → ugeruff
  • ukucken → u + gekuckt → ugekuckt

Un- and an- are written u- and a- before ge-, because the n-rule drops the n before g: see u- and a- prefixes.

No ge- in the simple verb, none in the compound
Some very common participles have no ge- (see participles without ge-), and their separable compounds follow them:

  • komm → matkomm, ukomm, erakomm
  • kaaft → akaaft
  • bruecht → matbruecht
  • gaangen → fortgaangen

Choosing hunn or sinn
Movement and change of state take sinn, as in the perfect with sinn: Ech sinn haut fréi opgestanen, Mir sinn um zéng Auer ukomm. Most others take hunn: Ech hunn d'Fënster zougemaach.

Word order
The participle goes to the end of the clause as one word, and the prefix never splits off from it. A participle ending in -en follows the n-rule like any other word: ..., well ech fréi opgestane sinn.

Examples (6)

  1. Ech sinn haut fréi opgestanen.

    I got up early today.

    Word by Word: I am today early up-stood.

    Opstoen takes sinn. Sinn keeps its n before the h of haut.

  2. Hues du de Film ugekuckt?

    Did you watch the film?

    Word by Word: Have you the film on-watched?

    Ge- goes between u- and kuckt.

  3. Ech hunn d'Fënster zougemaach.

    I closed the window.

    Word by Word: I have the window shut-made.

    Maachen has the participle gemaach, so zoumaachen has zougemaach.

  4. Mäi Brudder huet mech gëschter ugeruff.

    My brother called me yesterday.

    Word by Word: My brother has me yesterday on-called.

    Uruffen takes hunn, and its participle is ugeruff.

  5. Ass däi Frënd matkomm?

    Did your friend come along?

    Word by Word: Is your friend along-come?

    Kommen has the participle komm, so matkommen has matkomm, with no ge-.

  6. Mir hunn am Supermarché akaaft.

    We did the shopping at the supermarket.

    Word by Word: We have in-the supermarket in-bought.

    Kafen has the participle kaaft, so akafen has akaaft, with no ge-.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting ge- in front of the whole verb.

    Hien ass geopstanen.
    Hien ass opgestanen.

    Ge- never comes before a separable prefix. It goes between the prefix and the verb: op-ge-stanen.

  • Adding ge- where the simple verb has none.

    Si ass matgekomm.
    Si ass matkomm.

    The participle of kommen is komm, with no ge-, so the compound is matkomm.

  • Using hunn with a verb of movement.

    Ech hunn um siwen Auer opgestanen.
    Ech sinn um siwen Auer opgestanen.

    Opstoen describes getting up, a change of position, so it takes sinn in the perfect.

How It Connects

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

Participles of Separable VerbsLevel 2

Learn This First

Before Participles of Separable Verbs, learn Separable Verbs and Regular Past Participles: Ge- ... -t.