Before you start
Meet auskommen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 6 meanings
- to get along [with mit (+ dative) ‘with someone’]
- to be able to get by [with mit (+ dative) ‘with/on something’ or ohne (+ accusative) ‘without something’]
- (regional, western Germany, chiefly Westphalia) to be fitting or convenient [with dative ‘for someone’]
- (Austria, Bavaria, Southern Germany) to escape, to give someone the slip
- (Baltic) to succeed, to work out [with dative or accusative ‘with someone’]
- (literally, now rare) to break out, to hatch, to go out
Build the meaning
aus- + kommen
- aus-
- out of a situation, with a sense of reaching an outcome
- kommen
- to come
Imagine coming through a situation with what you have, or reaching a workable state with someone.
So auskommen means to get by, manage, or get along.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: aus·kommen
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 clauseSie kommt ohne Hilfe aus.She manages without help.
Subordinate clauseIch weiß, dass er mit wenig Geld auskommt.I know that he gets by with little money.
Participle: ausgekommenzu-infinitive: auszukommen
Forms
How auskommen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | komme aus | kam aus |
| du | kommst aus | kamst aus |
| er/sie/es | kommt aus | kam aus |
| wir | kommen aus | kamen aus |
| ihr | kommt aus | kamt aus |
| Sie | kommen aus | kamen aus |
Partizip II ausgekommen · Perfekt with sein
Three examples
- 1Ich komme gut mit meiner Schwester aus.I get on well with my sister.get on with someone
- 2Wir sind mit wenig Geld ausgekommen.We got by with little money.Perfekt with sein
- 3Er bleibt zu Hause, weil er allein auskommt.He stays at home because he manages on his own.verb at the end after weil
Verb family
More verbs built on kommen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- ankommento arrive
- vorkommento happen, occur, seem
- zurückkommento return
- hereinkommento come in
- herauskommento come out
- zukommento come towards, be in store
- herkommento come here
- aufkommento come up, arise, pay for