Before you start
Meet zusammenleben
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
zusammen- + leben
- zusammen-
- together, in shared company
- leben
- to live
To live together is to share a life or living space.
So zusammenleben means to live together; to cohabit.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: zusammen·leben
In a main clause the prefix zusammen splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseMeine Freunde leben in Berlin zusammen.My friends live together in Berlin.
Subordinate clauseIch freue mich, weil wir zusammenleben.I'm happy because we live together.
Participle: zusammengelebtzu-infinitive: zusammenzuleben
Forms
How zusammenleben changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | lebe zusammen | lebte zusammen |
| du | lebst zusammen | lebtest zusammen |
| er/sie/es | lebt zusammen | lebte zusammen |
| wir | leben zusammen | lebten zusammen |
| ihr | lebt zusammen | lebtet zusammen |
| Sie | leben zusammen | lebten zusammen |
Partizip II zusammengelebt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Wir leben seit einem Jahr zusammen.We have been living together for a year.prefix goes to the end
- 2Sie haben lange zusammengelebt.They lived together for a long time.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich weiß, dass sie zusammenleben.I know that they live together.verb at the end after dass
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
zusammenleben + die Schwester
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Say that you live with die Schwester.
- 3Use mit.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
My brotherder Bruder and I lived together for two yearszwei Jahre.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When we lived together, we oftenoft cooked dinnerAbendessen kochen.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She is happyglücklich because she lives with her best friendder beste Freund, die beste Freundin.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The mander Mann who lives with my sister worksarbeiten at the stationder Bahnhof.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
They want to live together next yearnächstes Jahr.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
It is niceschön to live together with friendsder Freund, die Freunde.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Who do you live with?
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
zusammenleben + obwohl + der Winter
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause.
- 2Say that winter is cold.
- 3Use the target verb in the main clause.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
Who would you like to live together with? Answer in one German sentence.
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one sentence.
- 2Use zusammenleben.
- 3Name someone you would like to live with.