Before you start
Meet vorlesen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Meaning
- (ditransitive) to read (aloud)
Build the meaning
vor- + lesen
- vor-
- before others, as in presenting something to them
- lesen
- to read
You read the words out in front of listeners so they can hear them.
So vorlesen means to read aloud; to read to someone.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: vor·lesen
In a main clause the prefix vor splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseLena liest den Namen vor.Lena reads the name aloud.
Subordinate clauseIch höre zu, weil Lena den Namen vorliest.I listen because Lena reads the name aloud.
Participle: vorgelesenzu-infinitive: vorzulesen
Forms
How vorlesen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | lese vor | las vor |
| du | liest vor | last vor |
| er/sie/es | liest vor | las vor |
| wir | lesen vor | lasen vor |
| ihr | lest vor | last vor |
| Sie | lesen vor | lasen vor |
Partizip II vorgelesen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich lese meinem Sohn abends eine Geschichte vor.I read a story aloud to my son in the evening.present tense, prefix at end
- 2Sie hat mir gestern die Nachricht vorgelesen.She read the message aloud to me yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3Er liest mir die Karte vor, wenn ich sie nicht sehen kann.He reads the menu aloud to me when I cannot see it.present tense with wenn