01
verlassen
to leave
To go away from a place, person, or group for a short or long time.
example
Er musste die Party früh verlassen, weil er am nächsten Tag arbeiten musste.
He had to leave the party early because he had to work the next day.
verlassen
to leave / rely
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Inseparable verb
The verb 'verlassen' (to leave) has the prefix 'ver-' and is inseparable. This means the prefix remains firmly attached to the verb in all tenses and sentence types.
EXAMPLE
Er verlässt das Haus immer um 8 Uhr.
He always leaves the house at 8 o'clock.
Context clue
Pay attention to the difference: 'verlassen' without a reflexive pronoun means 'to go away from'. 'Sich verlassen auf' with a reflexive pronoun and preposition means 'to trust' or 'to rely on'.
EXAMPLE
Er verlässt die Firma.
He is leaving the company.
Use with accusative
When you leave a place or a person, the verb 'verlassen' (to leave) needs a direct accusative object. Unlike in English, no preposition such as 'von' (from) or 'aus' (out of) is used.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen das Gebäude sofort verlassen.
We must leave the building immediately.
Reflexive with preposition
In the meaning of 'vertrauen' (to trust), the verb is always reflexive ('sich verlassen') and is used with the fixed preposition 'auf' (on) and the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Auf dich kann man sich einfach immer verlassen!
You can simply always rely on you!
Figurative use
In the figurative meaning, the subject of the sentence is a force or feeling (e.g. 'der Mut' (courage), 'die Kräfte' (strength), 'das Glück' (luck)). The person who loses it is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Gegen Ende des Marathons verließen ihn die Kräfte.
Toward the end of the marathon, his strength left him.
Compare with
verlassen vs gehen
to go
'gehen' and 'verlassen' can both mean that someone goes away from a place. However, 'gehen' is more general and often does not need an object: you simply say that someone is leaving or going to a destination. 'verlassen' is more specific and normally has an object, such as a room, a house, or a group. It often sounds a bit more deliberate or formal. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with leaving. As a simple guide: you 'gehen' away, but you 'verlassen' a specific place or group of people.
verlassen
Bitte verlassen Sie das Gebäude durch den Haupteingang.
Please leave the building through the main entrance.
gehen
Nach dem Essen geht Paul nach Hause.
After dinner, Paul goes home.
In real life
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