Before you start
Meet abholen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
ab- + holen
- ab-
- away from a starting point, toward the person waiting
- holen
- to fetch, to get
You fetch something and bring it away from where it was to the person waiting.
So abholen means to pick up, to collect, to fetch.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Verb family
More verbs built on holen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
Separable verb: ab·holen
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 holt ihre Tochter um vier ab.She picks up her daughter at four.
Subordinate clauseIch bin froh, dass du mich abholst.I’m glad that you’re picking me up.
Participle: abgeholtzu-infinitive: abzuholen
Forms
How abholen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | hole ab | holte ab |
| du | holst ab | holtest ab |
| er/sie/es | holt ab | holte ab |
| wir | holen ab | holten ab |
| ihr | holt ab | holtet ab |
| Sie | holen ab | holten ab |
Partizip II abgeholt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich hole meine Schwester vom Bahnhof ab.I’m picking up my sister from the train station.prefix goes to the end
- 2Wir haben das Paket gestern abgeholt.We picked up the package yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3..., weil mein Vater mich heute abholt.... because my father is picking me up today.verb at the end after weil
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
abholen + der Bruder
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Use der Bruder as the person you pick up.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I picked him up at the train stationder Bahnhof.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When my fatherder Vater picked me up, we wentgehen homenach Hause.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She is happyfroh because her brotherder Bruder is picking her up today.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The mander Mann who picked us up yesterdaygestern liveswohnen nearin der Nähe von the schooldie Schule.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Can you pick me up after workdie Arbeit?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He is going to the train stationder Bahnhof to pick up his sisterdie Schwester.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Would you pick me up at the airportder Flughafen tomorrowmorgen?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
abholen + die Freundin + obwohl
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause.
- 2Use die Freundin as the person you pick up.
- 3Put the main-clause verb before its subject.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
Who do you often pick up, and where do you pick them up?
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one sentence using the present tense.
- 2Say who you pick up and where.