Before you start
Meet abbrechen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 5 meanings
- (transitive) to break off (remove by breaking) [auxiliary haben]
- (intransitive) to be broken off [auxiliary sein]
- (transitive) to terminate, to end, to stop (especially suddenly or unexpectedly) [auxiliary haben]
- (transitive) to pull down (demolish) [auxiliary haben]
- to discard (throw away)
Build the meaning
ab- + brechen
- ab-
- away or off, suggesting separation or bringing something to an end
- brechen
- to break
Something breaks away from its continuation, so the action is broken off or stopped.
So abbrechen means to break off; to stop or cancel.
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·brechen
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 clauseEr bricht ein Stück Brot ab.He breaks off a piece of bread.
Subordinate clause…, weil wir das Gespräch abbrechen.…, because we are ending the conversation.
Participle: abgebrochenzu-infinitive: abzubrechen
Forms
How abbrechen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | breche ab | brach ab |
| du | brichst ab | brachst ab |
| er/sie/es | bricht ab | brach ab |
| wir | brechen ab | brachen ab |
| ihr | brecht ab | bracht ab |
| Sie | brechen ab | brachen ab |
Partizip II abgebrochen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich breche das Gespräch ab.I end the conversation.prefix goes to the end
- 2Sie hat den Kurs abgebrochen.She dropped out of the course.Perfekt with haben
- 3Wir müssen das Spiel abbrechen.We have to stop the game.modal verb with infinitive
Verb family
More verbs built on brechen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.