entweichen
to leak
For gases, liquids, or air: to come out or flow out of a container or an enclosed space.
EXAMPLE
Aus dem undichten Reifen ist langsam die Luft entwichen.
Air slowly leaked out of the punctured tire.
entweichen
to escape / to leak
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Meanings
entweichen
to escape
For people or animals: to leave a place secretly or unnoticed; to flee. This usage is rather elevated or literary.
EXAMPLE
Dem Gefangenen gelang es, in der Nacht unbemerkt aus seiner Zelle zu entweichen.
The prisoner managed to escape from his cell unnoticed during the night.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Entweichen' (to escape / to leak) is an inseparable verb with the prefix 'ent-'. The prefix remains firmly attached to the verb 'weichen' (to yield / give way) in all sentence forms and indicates movement 'away from something'.
EXAMPLE
Er bemerkte, dass Gas aus dem Ofen entwich.
He noticed that gas was escaping from the stove.
Perfect tense with 'sein'
Since 'entweichen' (to escape / to leak) describes movement or a change of state, the perfect tense is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be). The past participle is 'entwichen'.
EXAMPLE
Die ganze Luft ist aus dem Ballon entwichen.
All the air has leaked out of the balloon.
Correct preposition
To indicate the place of origin from which something escapes or leaks, the preposition 'aus' (from / out of) with the dative is almost always used.
EXAMPLE
Rauch entwich aus dem Schornstein.
Smoke escaped from the chimney.
Context clue
The meaning can easily be recognized from the subject. If it refers to gases, liquids, or air, it means flowing out or leaking. If it refers to people or animals, it means escape.
EXAMPLE
Aus der Flasche entwich ein seltsamer Geruch.
A strange smell escaped from the bottle.
Register
When 'entweichen' (to escape) is used for people or animals, it often sounds elevated, literary, or official. It emphasizes secretly disappearing unnoticed.
EXAMPLE
Der Dieb entwich durch ein offenes Fenster in der Dunkelheit.
The thief escaped through an open window into the darkness.
Compare with
entweichen vs verbreiten
to spread
Both words can be used for a smell that moves from a source into a room. „Entweichen“ emphasizes escaping from a container or enclosed space, while „verbreiten“ describes the smell's effect and distribution in the surrounding area. Choose the word according to which process is being emphasized.
entweichen
Aus dem undichten Behälter entwich ein unangenehmer Geruch.
An unpleasant smell escaped from the leaky container.
verbreiten
Der Geruch der Suppe verbreitet sich schnell in der ganzen Wohnung.
The smell of the soup quickly spread throughout the apartment.
In real life
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