dürfen vs erlauben
German word comparison
Listen to dürfen
Listen to erlauben
| dürfen | erlauben |
|---|---|
DÜR-fen verb | er-LAU-ben verb |
| to be allowed to; may | to allow; to permit |
How they differ
"Erlauben" is a verb for the act of giving permission, while "dürfen" describes the resulting permission or allowed status. That means "erlauben" often focuses on the authority or person who permits, whereas "dürfen" focuses on the person who is allowed.
When to use each
When to use dürfen: Use "dürfen" when you want to say that someone has permission to do something.
When to use erlauben: Use "erlauben" when you want to stress who gives the permission or when the permission is being granted explicitly.
Side-by-side examples
- Kinder dürfen hier nicht spielen.
(Children are not allowed to play here.) - Die Eltern erlauben den Kindern hier nicht zu spielen.
(The parents do not allow the children to play here.)
Register & nuance: "Erlauben" is neutral and very common in both speech and writing; it is slightly more explanatory than "dürfen."