Before you start
Meet wegnehmen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
weg- + nehmen
- weg-
- away, out of its place
- nehmen
- to take
Take something and move it away from where it was.
So wegnehmen means to take away; to remove.
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 nehmen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- annehmento accept, assume
- aufnehmento record, include
- zunehmento increase
- einnehmento take up, in
- vornehmento plan
- abnehmento decrease, reduce
- teilnehmento take part
- wahrnehmento perceive, detect
Separable verb: weg·nehmen
In a main clause the prefix weg splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseBitte nimm die Tasse weg.Please take the cup away.
Subordinate clause…, weil er mir den Stift wegnimmt.…, because he takes the pen away from me.
Participle: weggenommenzu-infinitive: wegzunehmen
Forms
How wegnehmen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | nehme weg | nahm weg |
| du | nimmst weg | nahmst weg |
| er/sie/es | nimmt weg | nahm weg |
| wir | nehmen weg | nahmen weg |
| ihr | nehmt weg | nahmt weg |
| Sie | nehmen weg | nahmen weg |
Partizip II weggenommen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich nehme dir das Glas weg.I take the glass away from you.prefix goes to the end
- 2Sie hat ihm den Ball weggenommen.She took the ball away from him.Perfekt with haben
- 3Du darfst mir das nicht wegnehmen.You must not take that away from me.infinitive after a modal
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
wegnehmen + der Ball
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Use der Ball as the accusative object.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I took the phonedas Handy away from him.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When I was a childdas Kind, my brotherder Bruder often took my toysdas Spielzeug away.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She took the keyder Schlüssel away from the childdas Kind because it was playingspielen with it.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The womandie Frau took away the bagdie Tasche that was standing by the doordie Tür.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
You must not take the fooddas Essen away from them.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He tried to take the boxdie Kiste away without wakingwecken the babydas Baby.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Could you take the dirtyschmutzig platesder Teller, die Teller away, please?
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:
wegnehmen + das Handy + obwohl
Your challenge
- 1Use an obwohl-clause.
- 2Say that someone takes das Handy away from someone.
- 3Add a main clause.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What would you take away from your home, and why?
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one sentence using the verb.
- 2Use Konjunktiv II.
- 3Give a reason with a weil-clause.