10 Sentences
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Meet ablenken

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

Build the meaning

ab- + lenken

ab-
away from a direction or focus
lenken
to steer or direct

To steer someone’s attention away from what it was focused on.

So ablenken means to distract; to divert.

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·lenken

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 clauseDer Lärm lenkt mich ab.The noise distracts me.
Subordinate clauseIch gehe, weil mich der Lärm ablenkt.I’m leaving because the noise is distracting me.
Participle: abgelenktzu-infinitive: abzulenken
Forms

How ablenken changes

PronounPräsensPräteritum
ichlenke ablenkte ab
dulenkst ablenktest ab
er/sie/eslenkt ablenkte ab
wirlenken ablenkten ab
ihrlenkt ablenktet ab
Sielenken ablenkten ab

Partizip II abgelenkt · Perfekt with haben

Three examples

  1. 1
    Der Lärm lenkt mich ab.The noise distracts me.prefix goes to the end
  2. 2
    Das Handy hat mich beim Lernen abgelenkt.The phone distracted me while I was studying.Perfekt with haben
  3. 3
    Sie lenkt das Gespräch auf ein anderes Thema, wenn es still wird.She changes the subject when it gets quiet.verb at the end after wenn