“Prefix to Make”
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Hallo ihr alle,
and welcome to day 16 of the epic German learning calendar 2024.
And today, it’s time for what’s kind of a tradition in the Advent Calendar by now, that many of you have a love hate relationship with:
A Prefix Verb Quiz
Basically, it works like this: we’ll take one baseverb and go over some of its most important prefix versions in a little quiz. And I said love-hate relationship, because sometimes people do way worse than they expected and of course they hate that, but at the same time, most of you kind of know how important prefix verbs are and like practicing them.
So just a quick disclaimer: looking at a cluster of prefix verbs like this CAN be confusing, so if you mess up, don’t worry about it. Maybe it’s just not the right format for you.
All right.
The baseverb we’ll use today is machen. One of the bestest, most usefullest verbs of all time.
And I actually already did one quiz about exactly that this year. Some time in summer.
Like… I looked which verbs I had already covered in the Advent Calendar and forgot that I had a few such quizzes throughout this year. And I just didn’t realize until I was done preparing this one.
But no problem, the questions are a little different and the machen-family is super important, so the more practice the better.
Unlike in past years’ calendars, I have also added explanations to the answers this time, which increase the learning by 67%, according to thin air’s numbers.
Seriously… I think the explanations help.
So yeah, without further ado, let’s jump right in.
Viel Erfolg!!
So? How did it go?
Let me know in the comments how you did, and of course if you have any questions that I can clear up.
Oh, I’ll put a few related links below, if you want to study more.
So yeah, that’s it for today. Have a terrific day, and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Further reading:
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Yay, I thought I would struggle, but I got them right. I must be getting some Sprachgefühl!
I got everything correct until the opposites rolled round. Is there any news on the prefix book, I *really* need it :(
Now the card game is shipped and I have finally capacity to get to that book!
Excellent, I’m looking forward to it :D
I still confused with the zuzumachen. I don’t understand why there is a second zu, what if i just use only zumachen. Does it alter the meaning ?
It’s wrong then.
The verb is “zumachen”, with “zu” being separable.
The structure is a zu-structure.
– Ich versuche zu lesen.
– Ich stehe auf.
– Ich bin aufgestanden.
– Ich versuche, aufzustehen.
– Ich mache die Tür zu.
– Ich habe die Tür zugemacht.
– Ich versuche, die Tür zuzumachen.
Does that help?
I’d recommend reading this article about the zu-structures:
https://yourdailygerman.com/zu-or-um-zu-when-which/
This is a very helpful progression of examples–thanks!
In the discussion of “zuzumachen” you should have pointed out that the stress in the word is on the first zu:
ZUzumachen
That first zu is a separable prefix and is always accented, whether connected to the base verb or not. The second zu (the “grammar” zu) is never accented.
Very true, thanks for adding this!
100% today.
I apologize for not participating in yesterday’s poetry writing, but I’m not feeling poetic in any language. I saw a lot of good ideas in the comments but nothing sparked any such thoughts in my brain.
No need to apologize, and Glückwunsch for the 100%!!
You wrapped the zu in a zu construct – argggh. Well played…well played… 5/6
Yes – adding explanations to answers helps. I always read them.
I got 100%, but I don’t understand part of the last question. Yes, I understand that vor- and nach- are generally opposites. But how are vormachen & nachmachen (show – copy) opposites? I think of an opposite of “show” is “conceal” or “hide” and an opposite of “copy” is… well, I’m not sure. “Produce an original work”? Anyway, “show” and “copy” seem hardly related in any way, let alone as opposites. Would you please explain your thinking?
Opposites are always a field where you’re quickly in a subjective realm. And also, you got a bit stuck on the translations.
“vormachen” is not “to show”! “to show” is just one translation for “vormachen” and their meaning clouds intersect in one area – “showing someone how something is done”. They do NOT intersect in a context of showing someone your new phone, for example, and overall, “vormachen” covers maybe 1/4 of the meaning cloud of “show”.
The core of “vormachen” is what matters for the opposite, and that’s NOT “the reveal”. So “hiding” is also not naturally opposied. The core of “vormachen” is the presenting an action to others in order to make them learn it. What’s the “opposite” of that? Well, that’s a topic you coud debate over, but one action that’s the natural “counter” to “vormachen” is definitely “nachmachen”. It’s like the “reactio”, the “countermovement”.
Does that help?
OK, so it’s not so much a sense of being “opposite” as of “reciprocity.” Yes, that makes sense, with your further explanation of what the two words mean. Thanks!
I did ok, got half of them. I think it’s interesting that to copy someone is nachmachen, but if I copy their answers on a written test it’s abschreiben.
Got them all correct!
Your explanation of “zuzumachen” is brilliant, concise and amusing. 100%
Hey! I got one right!! I think I stared at that zuzu construct for several minutes, and it finally unconfuzzled me. Yeah, I have a lot more studying to do.
Horrible. I obviously need more study.
100%, must be because I’ve been playing with the card deck :)
That would be the best testimonial ever :D
90% – Hurra! Fell down on zuzumachen – never saw that, and I thought, no, surely not! Quite logical, of course! Ich liebe die Quiz, und ich denke, dass man lernt Präfixe am besten so.
Hallo!
One typo (twice): base verb is two words
I do indeed have a love/hate relationship with prefix verbs: they’re kind of my Nemesis in German and that’s precisely why I like to practice them.
I actually did a lot better than I thought I would, only failed the “zuzu” thing and even that was one of those “duh, I knew this, why did I get it wrong?” sort of mistakes…
Thanks, loved this quiz!
Bis morgen!
Can you further explain what the “zu” construct is? Is it like using zu as “to”?
I mean structures like this:
– Ich versuche zu schlafen.
– Ich gehe in die Küche, um mir ein Bier zu holen.
The grammatical term is infinitive-clause with “zu”.
If a verb is ein trennbares Verb, the needed ZU goes between the prefix and the rest of the verb: zumachen becomes zuzumachen. This odd looking combo also happens with zuzuhören.