Before you start
Meet herausfinden
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 2 meanings
- to find out
- to figure out
Build the meaning
heraus- + finden
- heraus-
- outward, from inside to the outside
- finden
- to find
You find something and bring it out from what was hidden or unknown.
So herausfinden means to find out; to discover.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: heraus·finden
In a main clause the prefix heraus splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseEr findet den Namen später heraus.He finds out the name later.
Subordinate clauseIch frage, weil sie die Antwort herausfindet.I ask because she finds out the answer.
Participle: herausgefundenzu-infinitive: herauszufinden
Forms
How herausfinden changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | finde heraus | fand heraus |
| du | findest heraus | fandst heraus |
| er/sie/es | findet heraus | fand heraus |
| wir | finden heraus | fanden heraus |
| ihr | findet heraus | fandet heraus |
| Sie | finden heraus | fanden heraus |
Partizip II herausgefunden · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich finde die Antwort schnell heraus.I quickly find out the answer.prefix goes to the end
- 2Wir haben den Weg allein herausgefunden.We found out the way on our own.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie weiß, dass er die Nummer herausfindet.She knows that he finds out the number.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on finden
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.