I. Theory
In English, the verb “to leave” has a rather wide range of meaning. In German, there are several verbs that mean “to leave” but have different nuances. Some always take an object while others do not.| Mein Nachbar musste sein Haus wegen eines Brandes verlassen. My neighbor had to leave his house due to a fire. Wenn ich ins Büro gehe, lasse ich meinen Hund in der Küche. When I go to the office, I leave my dog in the kitchen. |
In the first example above, verlassen is conveying “leave” in the sense of “leaving behind/abandoning.” In the second sentence, lassen means to “leave (a direct object) in a particular state/location”.
II. “To leave” Verbs
In this lesson, we will focus on four verbs: lassen, verlassen, weggehen, and hinterlassen. Generally, there are certain rules that narrow down which verb would be most appropriate per situation.Lassen
Lassen will be followed by a noun (direct object) and means to leave something/someone in a place or state.| Wir lassen dich hier, während wir die Sache diskutieren. We will leave you here as we discuss the matter. Die Frau ließ den Brief auf dem Tisch. The woman left the letter on the table. |
Verlassen
This verb is used when leaving a direct object (event, person, etc.)| Nach fünf Jahren hat sie ihren Mann verlassen. After 5 years, she left her husband. Während des Vulkanausbruchs mussten alle Touristen die Insel verlassen. During the volcanic eruption, all of the tourists had to leave the island. |
Weggehen
This verb is never used with any type of object. Weggehen is a separable verb.| Es wäre am besten, wenn du weggehst. It’s best if you leave. Ich ging weg, ohne ein Wort zu sagen. I left without saying a word. |
Hinterlassen
This verb means to leave behind but not in an “abandon” sense, rather in a more physical sense.| Der Verbrecher hatte Fußspuren am Tatort hinterlassen. The criminal left footprints (behind) at the scene of the crime. Mein Großonkel hinterlässt mir sein Haus. My great uncle is bequeathing me his house. |