Before you start
Meet ausbrechen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
aus- + brechen
- aus-
- out of an enclosed or contained place
- brechen
- to break
Something breaks through its boundary and gets out.
So ausbrechen means to break out or escape; to erupt.
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 brechen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
Separable verb: aus·brechen
In a main clause the prefix aus 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 Hund bricht aus dem Garten aus.The dog breaks out of the garden.
Subordinate clauseSie ist froh, dass der Hund ausbricht.She is glad that the dog breaks out.
Participle: ausgebrochenzu-infinitive: auszubrechen
Forms
How ausbrechen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | breche aus | brach aus |
| du | brichst aus | brachst aus |
| er/sie/es | bricht aus | brach aus |
| wir | brechen aus | brachen aus |
| ihr | brecht aus | bracht aus |
| Sie | brechen aus | brachen aus |
Partizip II ausgebrochen · Perfekt with sein
Three examples
- 1Das Feuer bricht plötzlich aus.The fire suddenly breaks out.prefix goes to the end
- 2Der Vogel ist aus dem Käfig ausgebrochen.The bird escaped from the cage.Perfekt with sein
- 3Wenn die Krankheit ausbricht, bleiben wir zu Hause.If the illness breaks out, we stay at home.verb at the end after wenn
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
ausbrechen + der Hund
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Say that the dog escapes from the garden.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The dogder Hund broke out, and we found it in the streetdie Straße.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When a firedas Feuer breaks out, we callanrufen the fire brigadedie Feuerwehr.
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Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He escaped from the housedas Haus because the doordie Tür was openoffen.
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 escaped is my neighborder Nachbar.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
They want to escape from the roomdas Zimmer, but the door is closedgeschlossen.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She openedöffnen the windowdas Fenster to escape from the housedas Haus.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When did the warder Krieg break out?
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:
ausbrechen + dass
Your challenge
- 1Start with Ich hoffe.
- 2Use a dass-clause with ausbrechen.
- 3Say that the war does not break out.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What situation would you like to escape from?
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one German sentence.
- 2Use ausbrechen with Konjunktiv II.
- 3Name a situation you would like to escape from.