entfernen
to remove
To take something away from a place or get rid of it.
EXAMPLE
Könntest du bitte den Fleck vom Teppich entfernen?
Could you please remove the stain from the carpet?
entfernen
to remove
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Meanings
sich entfernen
to leave
To leave a place; to go away.
EXAMPLE
Der Verdächtige hatte sich bereits vom Tatort entfernt, als die Polizei eintraf.
The suspect had already left the crime scene when the police arrived.
entfernt sein
to be located away
To be at a certain distance from something.
EXAMPLE
Das Dorf ist nur wenige Kilometer von der Autobahn entfernt.
The village is only a few kilometers away from the highway.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Entfernen' (to remove) is an inseparable verb. It consists of the prefix 'ent-', which often means 'away', and the adjective 'fern' (far). Literally, then, it means to 'make something far away' or to 'move far away'.
EXAMPLE
Die Reinigung konnte den Rotweinfleck vollständig entfernen.
The cleaning service was able to completely remove the red wine stain.
Context clue
The grammar shows the meaning: when the verb has an accusative object, it means 'to take something away'. When it is used reflexively with 'sich', it means 'to go away'.
EXAMPLE
Der Gärtner entfernt das Unkraut aus dem Beet.
The gardener removes the weeds from the bed.
Sentence structure and preposition
To express distance, the structure '[distance] entfernt sein von + dative' (to be [distance] away from) is used. The preposition 'von' is a fixed part of this structure.
EXAMPLE
Unser Hotel ist nur 500 Meter vom Strand entfernt.
Our hotel is only 500 meters away from the beach.
Compare with
entfernen vs verlassen
to leave / rely
Both verbs can express that someone does not remain in a particular place. Verlassen takes the place directly as its object and emphasizes leaving it. Sich entfernen is usually used with von and emphasizes moving farther away.
entfernen
Nach dem Alarm entfernt sich Lea schnell vom Gebäude.
After the alarm, Lea quickly moved away from the building.
verlassen
Nach dem Alarm verlässt Lea schnell das Gebäude.
After the alarm, Lea quickly left the building.
In real life
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