German Word of the Day
verlassen
/fer-LAS-sen/ • verb — 3rd of May, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to leave (a place) or to abandon/leave someone; to depart
Examples
- Ich verlasse morgen die Stadt.
(I'm leaving the city tomorrow.) - Nach zehn Jahren hat sie ihn verlassen.
(After ten years she left him.) - Er verließ das Zimmer, ohne sich zu verabschieden.
(He left the room without saying goodbye.)
Synonyms
- weggehen
- fortgehen
Verlassen is used both for leaving places and for abandoning people (jemanden verlassen). It is not separable. Note one common different meaning appears in the reflexive phrase sich verlassen auf (to rely on), which is unrelated to physically leaving. In conversation you will hear it used for departures (Ich verlasse jetzt) and for breakups (Sie hat ihn verlassen).
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