Ich wasche das Geschirr gründlich ab.

I wash the dishes thoroughly.

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?

Yes. Spülen also means “to wash up” or “to rinse.”
Examples:

• Ich spüle das Geschirr gründlich.
• Ich spüle das Geschirr gründlich ab.

Where does the adverb gründlich go, and can I move it?

You can place gründlich either before the object or after it. Both are correct:

• Ich wasche das Geschirr gründlich ab. (more common)
• Ich wasche gründlich das Geschirr ab.

Why is Ich at the beginning and ab at the end?

German main‐clause word order is V2: the finite verb (wasche) is in second position. The subject (Ich) comes first; then object/adverb; and finally the separable prefix (ab).

Can I say Ich wasche Geschirr ab without the article?

Yes, but it sounds more general (“I wash dishes up” as a habit) rather than specific (“the dishes”). Using das Geschirr implies a particular set of dishes.

Why is Geschirr singular? Don’t we need a plural for “dishes”?

In German Geschirr is a mass noun (like “cutlery” or “tableware”). You usually treat it as singular to refer to all the dishes collectively.

What’s the difference between waschen and abwaschen?

• Waschen = “to wash” (hands, clothes, car, etc.).
• Abwaschen = “to wash off” / “to wash up” (dishes, pots, pans).