abzutrennen

Abzutrennen is the infinitive with zu of the German verb abtrennen, meaning to detach, detachable, or to separate something from a larger whole. The base verb abtrennen expresses the action of removing a component, a part, or a substance from another object or system, either physically or conceptually.

Grammatically, abtrennen is a separable-prefix verb. In finite clauses the prefix usually splits off (Ich trenne die Leitung ab). In the zu-infinitive, the prefix remains attached to the verb stem, forming abzutrennen. This form is used after adjectives, nouns, or verbs that govern an infinitive, for example: Es ist notwendig, abzutrennen, oder Es musste abzutrennen sein. The related past participle is abgetrennt.

Common contexts for abzutrennen include physical separation in engineering and chemistry (removing a component, separating substances in a mixture), mechanical disassembly (detaching a part from a device), and, more metaphorically, distinguishing or isolating elements within a system or process. In everyday language it can describe detaching connections or removing interference, as well as separating data or ideas in analysis.

Examples:

- Es ist notwendig, die Kontamination abzutrennen, bevor weitere Schritte erfolgen. (It is necessary to separate the contamination before proceeding.)

- Das Kabel muss abgetrennt werden, um eine sichere Wartung zu ermöglichen. (The cable must be detached to allow safe maintenance.)

- In der Analyse trennt man relevante Merkmale vom Rest der Daten ab.

See also: abtrennen, abgetrennt, Trennung.