ablegen
to put down
To place something that you are holding or carrying in a specific place.
EXAMPLE
Du kannst deine Tasche hier auf dem Stuhl ablegen.
You can put your bag down here on the chair.
ablegen
to put down / take off
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Meanings
ablegen
to take off
To take off an item of clothing, especially a coat, hat, or scarf.
EXAMPLE
Bitte legen Sie Ihren Mantel an der Garderobe ab.
Please take off your coat at the coat check.
eine Prüfung ablegen
to take an exam
To take part in an exam or test and complete it, usually successfully.
EXAMPLE
Nächste Woche muss ich meine Fahrprüfung ablegen.
Next week I have to take my driving test.
ablegen
to lose
To give up and stop a habit, feeling, or way of behaving.
EXAMPLE
Er konnte seine Schüchternheit nie ganz ablegen.
He was never able to completely lose his shyness.
ablegen
to file
To systematically organize documents, files, or data and keep them in a designated place.
EXAMPLE
Die Rechnungen werden digital in einem Ordner abgelegt.
The invoices are filed digitally in a folder.
ein Geständnis/einen Eid ablegen
to make a confession/oath
To make a formal, often legally binding statement, for example in court or when being sworn in.
EXAMPLE
Der Zeuge musste vor Gericht einen Eid ablegen.
The witness had to take an oath in court.
ablegen
to depart
In shipping: to leave the anchorage or dock and begin the journey.
EXAMPLE
Das Schiff wird pünktlich um 18 Uhr ablegen.
The ship will depart on time at 6 p.m.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Ablegen' is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab-' goes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Legen Sie den Mantel bitte hier ab.
Please take off your coat here.
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'ab-' often carries the meaning of removal, separation, or completion. This idea appears in many meanings of 'ablegen' (to put down/take off), from putting down an object to giving up a habit.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seine alte Brille abgelegt und trägt jetzt Kontaktlinsen.
He has taken off his old glasses and now wears contact lenses.
Register
In the meaning 'Kleidung ausziehen' (to take off clothing), 'ablegen' is more polite and formal than other verbs. You often hear it at a coat check in a theater or restaurant.
EXAMPLE
Darf ich Ihnen helfen, den Mantel abzulegen?
May I help you take off your coat?
Fixed expression
The combination 'eine Prüfung ablegen' (to take an exam) is a fixed expression and means to take part in a test. You can also use 'ablegen' with ein Examen (an exam), einen Test (a test), or eine Klausur (a written exam).
EXAMPLE
Alle Studierenden müssen am Ende des Semesters eine Prüfung ablegen.
All students have to take an exam at the end of the semester.
Typical collocations
When it is about stopping a way of behaving, 'ablegen' is used with abstract nouns such as 'Angst' (fear), 'Zweifel' (doubts), 'eine schlechte Angewohnheit' (a bad habit), or 'ein Akzent' (an accent).
EXAMPLE
Es ist schwer, eine schlechte Angewohnheit abzulegen.
It is hard to give up a bad habit.
Office context
In an office context, 'ablegen' almost always means to sort and save documents or files. Typical objects are 'Akten' (files), 'Dokumente' (documents), or 'E-Mails' (emails).
EXAMPLE
Könntest du bitte diese Dokumente für mich ablegen?
Could you please file these documents for me?
Fixed expression
In formal or legal contexts, 'ablegen' is used in fixed expressions such as 'ein Geständnis ablegen' (to make a confession) or 'einen Eid ablegen' (to take an oath). It means to make an official statement.
EXAMPLE
Der Angeklagte weigerte sich, ein Geständnis abzulegen.
The defendant refused to make a confession.
Sentence structure
In the meaning 'a ship starts/departs', 'ablegen' is used without an object. The subject is the ship or boat itself.
EXAMPLE
Die Fähre nach Schweden legt in einer Stunde ab.
The ferry to Sweden departs in one hour.
Compare with
machenaufgebenabsolvierenparkenabsetzenausziehenhinlegenauslaufenhinterlegenniederlegenarchivierenentledigen
ablegen vs machen
to do / make
With „machen“, you can say in general that you are taking an exam; the phrasing is neutral and very common in everyday language. „Ablegen“ refers to the same process but sounds more fixed and somewhat formal. That is why official information usually uses „eine Prüfung ablegen“, while conversation often uses „eine Prüfung machen“.
ablegen
Morgen lege ich die Prüfung für meinen Sprachkurs ab.
I’m taking the exam for my language course tomorrow.
machen
Morgen mache ich die Prüfung für meinen Sprachkurs.
I’m taking the exam for my language course tomorrow.
In real life
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