Before you start
Meet abschneiden
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 5 meanings
- (transitive) to cut off
- (transitive) to truncate
- (transitive) to shorten
- (transitive) to amputate
- (intransitive) to score, to perform, to do (well, poorly, badly, etc.)
Build the meaning
ab- + schneiden
- ab-
- away or off, indicating separation
- schneiden
- to cut
To cut something away is to separate it; figuratively, how you “cut” through a test or competition is how you perform.
So abschneiden means to cut off; to perform or fare (in a test or competition).
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·schneiden
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 schneiden ein Stück ab.We cut off a piece.
Subordinate clauseSie bleibt, weil ich ein Stück abschneide.She stays because I cut off a piece.
Participle: abgeschnittenzu-infinitive: abzuschneiden
Forms
How abschneiden changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | schneide ab | schnitt ab |
| du | schneidest ab | schnittest ab |
| er/sie/es | schneidet ab | schnitt ab |
| wir | schneiden ab | schnitten ab |
| ihr | schneidet ab | schnittet ab |
| Sie | schneiden ab | schnitten ab |
Partizip II abgeschnitten · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich schneide das Papier hier ab.I cut the paper here.prefix goes to the end
- 2Sie hat den alten Ast abgeschnitten.She cut off the old branch.Perfekt with haben
- 3Er sagt, dass ich ein Stück abschneiden soll.He says that I should cut off a piece.verb at the end after dass