The German verbs verlassen and weggehen both relate to the idea of "leaving," but they are used in different contexts and have different nuances. Understanding their differences will help you use them correctly and naturally.
Verlassen
Verlassen means "to leave" someone or something behind, often implying a more permanent or serious departure. It is a separable-prefix verb (verlassen), but the prefix stays attached in all forms, and it is a regular verb in the past and participle forms. It always takes a direct object in the accusative case, indicating what or whom is being left.
Overview
- Meaning: to leave someone/something behind, often permanently or seriously
- Transitivity: transitive (requires a direct object)
- Object case: accusative
- Conjugation: irregular (past: verließ, past participle: verlassen)
- Usage: more formal, often emotional or significant context
Common Usage
- Leaving a person or relationship: Er hat sie verlassen. (He left her.)
- Leaving a place or situation: Sie verlässt das Büro früh. (She leaves the office early.)
- Abandoning something: Er hat seine Familie verlassen. (He abandoned his family.)
- Can be used metaphorically: Wir dürfen nicht unsere Prinzipien verlassen. (We must not abandon our principles.)
Examples
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ich verlasse das Haus um 8 Uhr. | I leave the house at 8 o’clock. |
| Sie hat ihren Mann verlassen. | She left her husband. |
| Verlass mich nicht! | Don’t leave me! |
| Wir verlassen uns auf dich. | We rely on you. |
(Note: verlassen sich is a special reflexive usage meaning “to rely on.”)
Weggehen
Weggehen means "to go away" or "leave" by physically going somewhere else. It emphasizes the action of moving away rather than what is left behind. It is a separable-prefix verb (weg-gehen), and in conjugation, the prefix weg- separates and moves to the end of the clause in main clauses.
Overview
- Meaning: to go away, to leave by physically moving off
- Transitivity: intransitive (does not take a direct object)
- Object case: none
- Conjugation: regular (past: ging weg, past participle: weggegangen)
- Usage: common in everyday speech, focus on movement away
Common Usage
- Leaving a place: Ich gehe jetzt weg. (I’m going away now.)
- Leaving an event or gathering: Sie ist schon weggegangen. (She has already left.)
- Can be more casual and temporary than verlassen
- Can be used with time or destination: Er ist um 10 Uhr weggegangen. (He left at 10 o’clock.)
Examples
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ich gehe jetzt weg. | I’m going away now. |
| Wann bist du weggegangen? | When did you leave? |
| Er ist früh weggegangen. | He left early. |
| Geh nicht weg! | Don’t go away! |
Comparison
| Aspect | Verlassen | Weggehen |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to leave/abandon someone or something | to go away/leave a place |
| Transitivity | transitive (requires an object) | intransitive (no object) |
| Object | accusative object required | no object |
| Focus | leaving behind (people, places, situations) | physical movement away |
| Usage context | formal, serious, or emotional | neutral, everyday |
| Example | Sie verlässt die Stadt. | Sie geht weg. |
What is the key grammatical difference between verlassen and weggehen?
verlassen is transitive and requires a direct accusative object; weggehen is intransitive and takes no object.
**Verlassen** requires an accusative object (someone or something is left behind). **Weggehen** is intransitive and focuses on the action of going away without an object.
Summary
- Use verlassen when leaving someone or something behind, especially in a serious or permanent sense. Always use a direct object in the accusative.
- Use weggehen to describe the act of going away or leaving a place, focusing on the movement. It does not take an object and is more casual.
- The two verbs are not interchangeable because of differences in meaning, grammar, and usage.
When should you use weggehen instead of verlassen?
Use weggehen to describe the action of physically going away or leaving a place, without specifying what is left behind.
**Weggehen** focuses on the act of leaving/moving away and is used in everyday situations without an object.
Additional Tips
- Don’t confuse weggehen (to go away) with wegfahren (to drive away) or wegfliegen (to fly away); the prefix weg- means "away," and the verb describes the mode of leaving.
- With verlassen, be careful with the object; it must be in the accusative case.
- Weggehen is often used in spoken German: Ich muss jetzt weg. (I have to go now.)
- There are other related verbs: fortgehen (to go off, to leave), weglaufen (to run away), ausgehen (to go out).
Examples in Context
| Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Er verlässt das Büro um 18 Uhr. | He leaves the office at 6 p.m. (focus on leaving the place) |
| Er geht um 18 Uhr weg. | He goes away at 6 p.m. (focus on the action of leaving/moving away) |
| Sie hat ihren Freund verlassen. | She left her boyfriend. (serious/personal departure) |
| Sie ist schon weggegangen. | She has already left. (focus on movement, no object) |
| Verlass mich nicht! | Don’t leave me! (emotional plea) |
| Geh nicht weg! | Don’t go away! (more neutral) |
Summary Table
| Verlassen | Weggehen |
|---|---|
| Meaning: to leave/abandon someone or something behind | Meaning: to go away/leave by physically moving away |
| Requires a direct object in accusative (e.g., jemanden, etwas) | No object required (intransitive) |
| More formal, serious, or emotional tone | More neutral, casual, everyday usage |
| Can be used metaphorically (e.g., Prinzipien verlassen) | Focuses on the act of leaving/movement |
| Example: Sie verlässt die Stadt. (She leaves/abandons the city.) | Example: Sie geht weg. (She is going away/leaving.) |
| Past: verließ; Participle: *verlassen | Past: ging weg; Participle: *weggegangen |
| Often used with people, places, or situations as objects | Used for leaving places or situations without specifying an object |
I hope this clarifies the difference between verlassen and weggehen. If you want to learn more about related verbs, just ask!
Which column correctly fills in the missing verb and its properties?
Verlassen: to leave/abandon someone or something behind, requires a direct object in accusative, formal/serious, can be metaphorical; Weggehen: to go away/leave by moving away, no object, casual/everyday, focuses on movement.
The table summarizes the core differences: **verlassen** requires an accusative object and is more serious; **weggehen** is intransitive and describes movement.
Flashcards (1 of 8)
- English Example: I leave the house at 8 o’clock.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
