Prepositional verbs
Many German verbs strongly prefer a specific preposition, and that preposition shapes the meaning of the whole phrase.
Examples
GermanTranslation
Ich warte auf den Bus.
I am waiting for the bus.
Sie denkt oft an ihre Kindheit.
She often thinks about her childhood.
Wir sprechen über das neue Projekt.
We are talking about the new project.
Pattern
verb + fixed preposition
How it works
Many German verbs strongly prefer a specific preposition, and that preposition shapes the meaning of the whole phrase. This pattern typically appears as verb + fixed preposition and becomes easier when you meet it again in short, readable examples.
What to notice
- Learn the verb together with its preposition.
- The preposition also determines which case follows.
Why it matters
Handle politeness, unreality, and more delicate interpersonal meaning.
Use in context
These combinations are important because you cannot always predict them from English.