Before you start
Meet abweichen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 2 meanings
- to differ or vary
- to deviate or diverge
Build the meaning
ab- + weichen
- ab-
- away from a point, path, or standard
- weichen
- to give way or move aside
Something moves away from the expected path or standard.
So abweichen means to deviate; to differ.
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·weichen
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 clauseDie Straße weicht nach links ab.The road turns off to the left.
Subordinate clauseIch glaube, dass der Weg nach links abweicht.I think that the path turns off to the left.
Participle: abgewichenzu-infinitive: abzuweichen
Forms
How abweichen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | weiche ab | wich ab |
| du | weichst ab | wichst ab |
| er/sie/es | weicht ab | wich ab |
| wir | weichen ab | wichen ab |
| ihr | weicht ab | wicht ab |
| Sie | weichen ab | wichen ab |
Partizip II abgewichen · Perfekt with sein
Three examples
- 1Der Weg weicht hier nach rechts ab.The path turns off to the right here.prefix goes to the end
- 2Seine Antwort ist vom Plan abgewichen.His answer differed from the plan.Perfekt with sein
- 3Ich sehe, dass der Preis vom alten Preis abweicht.I see that the price differs from the old price.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on weichen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.