Breakdown of Ich wasche das Geschirr gründlich ab.
ich
I
abwaschen
to wash up
gründlich
thoroughly
das Geschirr
the dishes
Questions & Answers about Ich wasche das Geschirr gründlich ab.
Why is the verb in the sentence split into wasche and ab?
Because abwaschen is a separable‑prefix verb in German. In a main clause you conjugate the verb root (wasche) in second position and move the prefix (ab) to the end.
What does the separable verb abwaschen mean?
Abwaschen literally means “to wash off,” but in everyday German it’s used for “to wash up” (dishes). It’s equivalent to “doing the dishes.”
Why is it das Geschirr and not der or die Geschirr?
Geschirr is a neuter noun in German. The singular nominative and accusative article for neuter nouns is das.
Which case is das Geschirr, and how do you know?
It’s in the accusative case because it’s the direct object of abwaschen (you wash what? → the dishes). The accusative neuter article stays das.
Can I replace abwaschen with spülen?