verjagen
to chase away
To force someone or an animal to leave a place through threats, violence, or loud noises.
EXAMPLE
Der Hund hat die Katze aus dem Garten verjagt.
The dog chased the cat out of the garden.
verjagen
to chase away
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb is made up of the inseparable prefix 'ver-' and the verb 'jagen' (to hunt/chase). Here, the prefix 'ver-' has the meaning of 'weg' (away) or 'fort' (away), so literally 'wegjagen' (to chase away).
EXAMPLE
Der Bauer verjagte die Vögel von seinem Feld.
The farmer chased the birds away from his field.
Sentence structure with a preposition
Often, the place from which someone or something is chased away is specified. For this, the prepositions 'aus' (out of) or 'von' (from) are used with the dative.
EXAMPLE
Sie verjagte die lauten Jugendlichen vom Grundstück.
She chased the loud teenagers off the property.
Figurative use
'Verjagen' (to chase away) can also be used figuratively for abstract things like feelings or thoughts. For example, you can chase away bad thoughts, boredom, or your worries.
EXAMPLE
Ein langer Spaziergang hilft, die trüben Gedanken zu verjagen.
A long walk helps chase away gloomy thoughts.
Compare with
verjagen vs vertreiben
to drive away / distribute
Both verbs refer to forcing a person or animal to leave. „Verjagen“ clearly emphasizes threats, violence, or loud noises, while „vertreiben“ is more general and can also refer to driving something away permanently. Use „verjagen“ for a specific action and „vertreiben“ for the general effect.
verjagen
Mit lautem Klatschen verjagte der Gärtner die Rehe aus dem Garten.
The gardener chased the deer out of the garden by clapping loudly.
vertreiben
Der neue Zaun vertreibt die Rehe dauerhaft aus dem Garten.
The new fence permanently drives the deer out of the garden.
In real life
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