to refrain from / to fail to
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to refrain from
To deliberately not do something; to abstain from an action. This word is often used in formal requests or legal contexts.
Bitte unterlassen Sie das Fotografieren während der Vorstellung.
Please refrain from taking photographs during the performance.
to fail to
To neglect or not do something necessary or expected; to neglect a duty or task. It describes an omission.
Der Arzt hat es unterlassen, den Patienten über die Risiken aufzuklären.
The doctor failed to inform the patient about the risks.
'Unterlassen' (to refrain from / to fail to) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'unter-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem 'lassen' in all tenses and sentence constructions.
Er hat es unterlassen, sich für sein Verhalten zu entschuldigen.
He failed to apologize for his behavior.
This verb belongs to formal language. You often find it in official requests, prohibitions, or legal texts. In normal everyday conversation, it sounds very stiff.
Die Geschäftsführung bittet darum, das Rauchen im Eingangsbereich zu unterlassen.
Management requests that people refrain from smoking in the entrance area.
'Unterlassen' (to refrain from / to fail to) is often used with an accusative object or with an infinitive construction. The pattern is then: 'es unterlassen, etwas zu tun' (to fail/refrain to do something).
Unterlassen Sie bitte diese Störung!
Please stop this disturbance!
A very important and fixed collocation is 'unterlassene Hilfeleistung' (failure to render assistance). This is a criminal offense in Germany and describes the failure to help in an emergency.
Er wurde wegen unterlassener Hilfeleistung angeklagt.
He was charged with failure to render assistance.
to contain / abstain
Both words can express that someone deliberately refrains from making a statement. „Sich enthalten“ sounds elevated and focuses the abstention on something, often with the genitive, while „unterlassen“ names the specific action as its object and is especially common in formal requests. Use „sich enthalten“ for a stylized expression of abstention and „unterlassen“ for a clear request not to do something.
Der Sprecher unterließ jede Bemerkung zu dem Streit.
The speaker refrained from making any remark about the dispute.
Der Sprecher enthielt sich jeder Bemerkung zu dem Streit.
The speaker refrained from making any remark about the dispute.
