to drain / dry out
trockenlegen – legte trocken – hat trockengelegt
Loading your saved state.
to drain / dry out
To remove water or moisture from an area, building, or facility.
Bevor der Keller renoviert werden kann, müssen die feuchten Wände trockengelegt werden.
Before the basement can be renovated, the damp walls have to be dried out.
to cut off funding
Colloquial: To deprive a person, organization, or activity of financial resources or other necessary foundations.
Mit der Sperrung der Konten wollen die Behörden das kriminelle Netzwerk finanziell trockenlegen.
By freezing the accounts, the authorities want to cut off the criminal network's funding.
to change a baby's diaper
Colloquial: To change a baby's wet diaper and put on a dry one.
Ich habe das Baby gerade trockengelegt, weil seine Windel völlig nass war.
I just changed the baby's diaper because it was completely wet.
to dry out
Colloquial: To free a person addicted to alcohol from alcohol consumption through withdrawal treatment.
Nach jahrelangem Alkoholmissbrauch ließ er sich in einer Klinik trockenlegen.
After years of alcohol abuse, he went to a clinic to dry out.
| ich | lege trocken |
|---|---|
| du | legst trocken |
| er/sie/es | legt trocken |
| wir | legen trocken |
| ihr | legt trocken |
| sie | legen trocken |
| ich | legte trocken |
|---|---|
| du | legtest trocken |
| er/sie/es | legte trocken |
| wir | legten trocken |
| ihr | legtet trocken |
| sie | legten trocken |
| ich | habe trockengelegt |
|---|---|
| du | hast trockengelegt |
| er/sie/es | hat trockengelegt |
| wir | haben trockengelegt |
| ihr | habt trockengelegt |
| sie | haben trockengelegt |
| du | leg trocken! lege trocken! |
|---|---|
| ihr | legt trocken! |
| Sie | legen Sie trocken! |
| ich | hatte trockengelegt |
|---|---|
| du | hattest trockengelegt |
| er/sie/es | hatte trockengelegt |
| wir | hatten trockengelegt |
| ihr | hattet trockengelegt |
| sie | hatten trockengelegt |
| ich | werde trockenlegen |
|---|---|
| du | wirst trockenlegen |
| er/sie/es | wird trockenlegen |
| wir | werden trockenlegen |
| ihr | werdet trockenlegen |
| sie | werden trockenlegen |
| ich | lege trocken |
|---|---|
| du | legest trocken |
| er/sie/es | lege trocken |
| wir | legen trocken |
| ihr | leget trocken |
| sie | legen trocken |
Used for reported speech.
| ich | legte trocken |
|---|---|
| du | legtest trocken |
| er/sie/es | legte trocken |
| wir | legten trocken |
| ihr | legtet trocken |
| sie | legten trocken |
Used for wishes and “would”.
| infinitive | trockenlegen |
|---|---|
| with zu | trockenzulegen |
| present participle | trockenlegend |
| past participle | trockengelegt |
'Trockenlegen' (to drain / dry out) is a separable verb made up of 'trocken' (dry) and 'legen' (put/place). In a main clause, 'trocken' appears at the end of the sentence; in a subordinate clause, the verb stays together; and with the infinitive marker 'zu', 'zu' comes between the two parts.
Die Handwerker legen die Kellerwände trocken.
The workers dry out the basement walls.
Sie warten, bis sie die Kellerwände trockengelegt haben.
They are waiting until they have dried out the basement walls.
Es ist schwierig, die alten Mauern trockenzulegen.
It is difficult to dry out the old walls.
The verb combines 'trocken' (dry) with 'legen' (put/place) and originally refers to creating a dry condition. This also gives rise to figurative uses in which a person or thing is deprived of a necessary foundation.
Die Spezialisten legten den überfluteten Keller innerhalb weniger Tage trocken.
The specialists dried out the flooded basement within a few days.
In its technical and construction-related meaning, 'trockenlegen' (to drain / dry out) often occurs with 'Keller' (basement), 'Mauerwerk' (masonry), 'Wände' (walls), or 'Gebiet' (area). The phrase 'ein Gebäude trockenlegen' (to dry out a building) is also common.
Vor dem Umbau mussten die alten Mauern vollständig trockengelegt werden.
Before the renovation, the old walls had to be completely dried out.
In its figurative meaning, 'trockenlegen' (to cut off funding) is often specified with an adverb such as 'finanziell' (financially). Typical objects are organizations, networks, or criminal structures.
Die Ermittler wollen die Betrüger finanziell trockenlegen.
The investigators want to cut off the fraudsters' funding.
The meaning related to changing a wet diaper is colloquial and usually refers to babies or small children. The child or baby appears as the accusative object in this use.
Der Vater legte das Baby trocken, während die Mutter die neue Windel holte.
The father changed the baby's diaper while the mother fetched the new one.
The meaning related to withdrawal treatment is colloquial and is especially associated with people addicted to alcohol. The person affected often appears in the construction 'sich trockenlegen lassen' (to go into rehab to dry out).
Nach vielen Jahren mit Alkoholproblemen ließ sich der Mann in einer Klinik trockenlegen.
After many years of alcohol problems, the man went to a clinic to dry out.
