Before you start
Meet abbauen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 4 meanings
- to dismantle, disassemble
- (transitive, mining) to mine (an ore)
- (transitive, medicine) to degrade, metabolise
- (transitive) to relieve, reduce (e.g. stress)
Build the meaning
ab- + bauen
- ab-
- away or off, suggesting removal
- bauen
- to build
Take apart or remove what was built, or reduce it piece by piece.
So abbauen means to dismantle; to reduce.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: ab·bauen
In a main clause the prefix ab splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseSie baut den alten Schrank ab.She takes apart the old cupboard.
Subordinate clauseEr sagt, dass wir den Tisch abbauen.He says that we are taking apart the table.
Participle: abgebautzu-infinitive: abzubauen
Forms
How abbauen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | baue ab | baute ab |
| du | baust ab | bautest ab |
| er/sie/es | baut ab | baute ab |
| wir | bauen ab | bauten ab |
| ihr | baut ab | bautet ab |
| Sie | bauen ab | bauten ab |
Partizip II abgebaut · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Wir bauen das Zelt ab.We take down the tent.dismantling something
- 2Ich habe beim Sport Stress abgebaut.I reduced stress through sport.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich weiß, dass wir das alte Haus abbauen.I know that we are taking down the old house.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on bauen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.