what is the use of 'los-' as a prefix?

attached to most verbs, the 'los-' prefix simply implies starting to do something. For example: 'sie fahren' = 'they are driving', and 'sie fahren los' = 'they are setting of (by car)'. Generally speaking 'los-' will be found with verbs of motion to imply some kind of setting off, but that is not a hard and fast rule and you can use it with other verbs too. The verb 'loslegen', for example, means to set about doing something, and can be used in relation to any action. for example 'Lass uns loslegen' = 'lets get down to business'. Unlike the other examples of how 'los' can be used, this particular verb 'loslegen' doesn't really bear much relation to its stem (legen = to lay).

Answered by German tutor

2517 Views

See similar German A Level tutors

Related German A Level answers

All answers ▸

When should I use "um...zu" and when "damit" when introducing a final subordinate sentence?


Fill the blanks with a definite article: ich frage ___ Mann, ob er Hilfe braucht, dann helfe ich ___ Mann


How do I become confident in speaking another language?


How is the passive voice used in German?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences