Before you start
Meet hereinkommen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Meaning
- to come in (when the speaker is inside)
Build the meaning
herein- + kommen
- herein-
- inward, toward the speaker or a reference point
- kommen
- to come
Someone comes inward toward here.
So hereinkommen means to come in; to enter.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: herein·kommen
In a main clause the prefix herein splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseKomm bitte herein!Please come in!
Subordinate clauseIch warte, weil der Gast hereinkommt.I’m waiting because the guest is coming in.
Participle: hereingekommenzu-infinitive: hereinzukommen
Forms
How hereinkommen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | komme herein | kam herein |
| du | kommst herein | kamst herein |
| er/sie/es | kommt herein | kam herein |
| wir | kommen herein | kamen herein |
| ihr | kommt herein | kamt herein |
| Sie | kommen herein | kamen herein |
Partizip II hereingekommen · Perfekt with sein
Three examples
- 1Der Gast kommt jetzt herein.The guest is coming in now.prefix goes to the end
- 2Meine Schwester ist gerade hereingekommen.My sister has just come in.Perfekt with sein
- 3Ich freue mich, wenn du hereinkommst.I’m happy when you come in.verb at the end after wenn
Verb family
More verbs built on kommen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- ankommento arrive
- vorkommento happen, occur, seem
- zurückkommento return
- herauskommento come out
- zukommento come towards, be in store
- herkommento come here
- aufkommento come up, arise, pay for
- entgegenkommento come to meet, accommodate