Abheben

Abheben is a German verb with several related meanings, all rooted in the idea of moving away or lifting from a base. It is a separable verb, so in the present tense the prefix is typically separated: ich hebe ab, du hebst ab, er hebt ab, etc. The past participle is abgeheben and the perfect form uses haben: ich habe abgehoben.

One sense refers to taking off or lifting away in a physical or mechanical sense. In aviation, das Flugzeug hebt ab means the aircraft takes off. The verb can also describe removing or lifting something from a surface, as in ich hebe den Deckel ab or er hob den Gegenstand vorsichtig ab.

A common everyday meaning is money withdrawal. Geld abheben means to withdraw cash from a bank account or an ATM. Examples: Ich hebe heute Geld am Automaten ab. Gestern habe ich Geld von meinem Konto abgehoben. This usage often appears with zwischen- or vom-Konto phrases: Geld vom Konto abheben.

Sich abheben is a widely used reflexive form meaning to stand out or differentiate oneself. mit der Form: Sie hebt sich durch ihre Kreativität von der Konkurrenz ab. The sense is metaphorical, emphasizing distinction rather than physical movement.

Etymology and usage notes: ab- is a prefix indicating separation or removal, combined with heben (to lift). The verb covers diverse, sometimes unrelated senses (lifting, taking off, withdrawing, distinguishing), and the exact meaning is usually clear from context. In all senses, the separable prefix alters word order in main clauses.