01
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 Flucht
escape / alignment
'in die Flucht schlagen' (to put to flight) and 'verjagen' (to chase away) have a very similar meaning. Both mean that someone or an animal is forced to run away. 'Verjagen' is a simple verb and works well in everyday situations, for example with animals in the garden. 'In die Flucht schlagen' is a fixed expression and sounds stronger. It is often used when someone runs away quickly because of fear, noise, or resistance.
verjagen
Im Garten verjagt Emma die Tauben, weil sie die Samen fressen.
In the garden, Emma chases away the pigeons because they eat the seeds.
Flucht
Der Sicherheitsmann schlug die Diebe in die Flucht.
The security guard put the thieves to flight.
In real life
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