Separable verb

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A separable verb is a verb that is composed of a verb stem and a separable affix. In some verb forms, the verb appears in one word, whilst in others the verb stem and the affix are separated. German and Dutch are notable for having many separable verbs. For example, the Dutch verb aankomen is a separable verb. Compare the following sentences:

Hij is aangekomen. — He has arrived.
Ik kom morgen aan — I'll arrive tomorrow.

In the second sentence, the verb aankomen is separated.

English has many compound verb forms that act in this way, although they are not formally separable. For example, the preposition up in the verb form to screw up can move around in a sentence: "He is always screwing things up".