10 Sentences
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Meet ablehnen

Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.

Build the meaning

ab- + lehnen

ab-
away from
lehnen
to lean

You lean away from an offer rather than toward accepting it.

So ablehnen means to refuse, reject, or turn down.

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·lehnen

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 clauseWir lehnen den Kuchen ab.We turn down the cake.
Subordinate clauseIch weiß, dass sie den Kaffee ablehnt.I know that she turns down the coffee.
Participle: abgelehntzu-infinitive: abzulehnen
Forms

How ablehnen changes

PronounPräsensPräteritum
ichlehne ablehnte ab
dulehnst ablehntest ab
er/sie/eslehnt ablehnte ab
wirlehnen ablehnten ab
ihrlehnt ablehntet ab
Sielehnen ablehnten ab

Partizip II abgelehnt · Perfekt with haben

Three examples

  1. 1
    Ich lehne den Tee ab.I turn down the tea.present, prefix at the end
  2. 2
    Sie hat meine Hilfe abgelehnt.She turned down my help.Perfekt with haben
  3. 3
    Er sagt, dass er die Einladung ablehnt.He says that he is turning down the invitation.verb at the end after dass