anlassen
to start
To start an engine by operating the starter.
EXAMPLE
Sie ließ den Motor an und fuhr los.
She started the engine and drove off.
anlassen
to start / to leave on
anlassen – ließ an – hat angelassen
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
anlassen
to leave on
To leave an electrical device or light source switched on.
EXAMPLE
Bitte lass das Licht an, bis ich wieder da bin.
Please leave the light on until I get back.
anlassen
to snap at someone
To address or reprimand someone in a rough or irritated manner.
EXAMPLE
Warum lässt du mich wegen einer solchen Kleinigkeit an?
Why are you snapping at me over such a small thing?
sich anlassen
to seem
To create a certain first impression or indicate certain prospects.
EXAMPLE
Das neue Projekt lässt sich vielversprechend an.
The new project seems promising.
anlassen
to temper
To heat metal, especially steel, after hardening in order to alter its properties.
EXAMPLE
Der Facharbeiter ließ den gehärteten Stahl bei einer bestimmten Temperatur an.
The skilled worker tempered the hardened steel at a specific temperature.
anlassen
to keep on
To keep wearing a piece of clothing or shoes instead of taking them off.
EXAMPLE
Du kannst deine Jacke ruhig anlassen, wir gehen gleich wieder.
You can keep your jacket on; we're going out again in a moment.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry anlassen, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | lasse an |
|---|---|
| du | lässt an |
| er/sie/es | lässt an |
| wir | lassen an |
| ihr | lasst an |
| sie | lassen an |
Simple past
| ich | ließ an |
|---|---|
| du | ließest an ließt an |
| er/sie/es | ließ an |
| wir | ließen an |
| ihr | ließt an |
| sie | ließen an |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe angelassen |
|---|---|
| du | hast angelassen |
| er/sie/es | hat angelassen |
| wir | haben angelassen |
| ihr | habt angelassen |
| sie | haben angelassen |
Commands
| du | lass an! lasse an! |
|---|---|
| ihr | lasst an! |
| Sie | lassen Sie an! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte angelassen |
|---|---|
| du | hattest angelassen |
| er/sie/es | hatte angelassen |
| wir | hatten angelassen |
| ihr | hattet angelassen |
| sie | hatten angelassen |
Future
| ich | werde anlassen |
|---|---|
| du | wirst anlassen |
| er/sie/es | wird anlassen |
| wir | werden anlassen |
| ihr | werdet anlassen |
| sie | werden anlassen |
Subjunctive I
| ich | lasse an |
|---|---|
| du | lassest an |
| er/sie/es | lasse an |
| wir | lassen an |
| ihr | lasset an |
| sie | lassen an |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | ließe an |
|---|---|
| du | ließest an |
| er/sie/es | ließe an |
| wir | ließen an |
| ihr | ließet an |
| sie | ließen an |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | anlassen |
|---|---|
| with zu | anzulassen |
| present participle | anlassend |
| past participle | angelassen |
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Anlassen' (to start / to leave on) is a separable verb. In a main clause, 'an' (on) goes at the end of the sentence; in a subordinate clause, the verb stays together; and in the infinitive with 'zu' (to), 'zu' comes between the prefix and the verb.
EXAMPLE
Sie lässt den Motor an.
She starts the engine.
Er wartet, bis sie den Motor anlässt.
He waits until she starts the engine.
Sie versucht, den Motor anzulassen.
She tries to start the engine.
Context clue
With an engine, words such as 'Motor' (engine), 'Auto' (car), or 'starten' (to start) indicate the meaning 'to start'. With lights and devices, however, it often means that something is left switched on.
EXAMPLE
Vor der Fahrt ließ er den Motor an.
Before the drive, he started the engine.
Wir haben die Heizung über das Wochenende angelassen.
We left the heating on over the weekend.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'to start an engine', 'anlassen' is often used with 'Motor' (engine), 'Auto' (car), or 'Maschine' (machine). Typical collocations are 'den Motor anlassen' (to start the engine) and 'den Wagen anlassen' (to start the car).
EXAMPLE
Bei minus zehn Grad versuchte sie mehrmals vergeblich, den Wagen anzulassen.
At minus ten degrees, she tried several times in vain to start the car.
Leaving something switched on
In this meaning, the object is usually a light source or electrical device that should remain switched on. Common collocations are 'das Licht anlassen' (to leave the light on), 'den Fernseher anlassen' (to leave the TV on), and 'den Computer anlassen' (to leave the computer on).
EXAMPLE
Er ließ im Flur die ganze Nacht das Licht an.
He left the light on in the hallway all night.
Informal tone
The meaning 'to snap at someone' is informal and often expresses anger or irritation. The object is normally a person in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Warum lässt du deinen Bruder wegen jeder Kleinigkeit an?
Why are you snapping at your brother over every little thing?
Fixed construction
In this meaning, 'sich anlassen' (to seem) is often used with an adverb expressing an evaluation, for example 'sich gut anlassen' (to seem good), 'sich schlecht anlassen' (to seem bad), or 'sich vielversprechend anlassen' (to seem promising). The subject is the project, situation, or development.
EXAMPLE
Die ersten Gespräche lassen sich vielversprechend an.
The first conversations seem promising.
Technical metalworking language
The meaning in metalworking belongs to technical language. Typical collocations are 'Stahl anlassen' (to temper steel), 'gehärteten Stahl anlassen' (to temper hardened steel), and 'bei einer bestimmten Temperatur anlassen' (to temper at a specific temperature).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Härten lässt der Facharbeiter den Stahl kontrolliert an.
After hardening the steel, the skilled worker tempers it in a controlled manner.
In real life
Loading video examples...