All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| lassen | let; have done; leave unchanged | permission, arrangements and leaving objects | Strong; ließ; hat gelassen alone, hat ... lassen with another infinitive. |
| verlassen | leave; rely on reflexively | departure, relationships and trust | Inseparable; verließ, hat verlassen; sich verlassen auf + accusative. |
| überlassen | leave to; make available; entrust | use, responsibility and decisions | Inseparable; überließ, hat überlassen; dative recipient, accusative item. |
| zulassen | allow; tolerate; admit | permission and formal admission | Separable; ließ zu, hat zugelassen; accusative object or dass-clause. |
lassen
Meaning and usage: Lassen is broad. Letting a child play permits an action; having a bicycle repaired arranges an action. Leaving a bag somewhere keeps it there. You cannot assign a single English verb to every use.
Grammar: Strong, nonseparable: lässt, ließ. With another verb, use a bare infinitive and the relevant accusative object: jemanden warten lassen. The perfect commonly has an Ersatzinfinitiv: hat warten lassen. Without another infinitive: hat gelassen.
Ich lasse mein Fahrrad morgen reparieren.
I am having my bicycle repaired tomorrow.
verlassen
Meaning and usage: Verlassen describes departing from a place or leaving someone behind. Add sich and auf, and the meaning becomes relying on a person or resource. That is not simply another way of saying 'leave yourself'.
Grammar: Strong and inseparable: verlässt, verließ, hat verlassen. Leaving takes an accusative object. Relying uses accusative reflexive pronoun plus auf + accusative: ich verlasse mich auf dich.
Wir verlassen das Gebäude durch den Seiteneingang.
We leave the building through the side entrance.
Du kannst dich auf meine Hilfe verlassen.
You can rely on my help.
überlassen
Meaning and usage: Überlassen hands the use, care or decision to somebody else. It may be temporary or permanent, depending on context. Leaving someone the choice gives them control of that decision.
Grammar: Strong and inseparable: überlässt, überließ, hat überlassen. Typically someone (dative) something (accusative): jemandem die Entscheidung überlassen. In this sense, über- is not separated.
Ich überlasse dir die Wahl des Restaurants.
I leave the choice of restaurant to you.
zulassen
Meaning and usage: Zulassen means allowing something to happen or granting access to an activity. An organization may admit candidates to an examination. It can also mean keeping something closed in colloquial contexts, so a closed window requires different interpretation.
Grammar: Strong and separable: lässt zu, ließ zu, hat zugelassen. Use an accusative object or dass-clause. Admission often uses jemanden zu + dative zulassen, such as zu einer Prüfung.
Die Leitung lässt flexible Arbeitszeiten zu.
The management allows flexible working hours.
Overlap and context
Lassen and zulassen overlap in permission, but lassen commonly combines with a bare infinitive while zulassen can name the allowed thing directly. Überlassen adds another person's control or use. Verlassen without sich auf normally describes departure rather than delegation.
Common mistakes
- Do not add zu in Ich lasse ihn gehen.
- Reliance requires both pieces: sich auf jemanden verlassen.
- Überlassen stays together, whereas zulassen separates in a main clause.
Memory aid: Let an action happen; leave a place; leave a choice to someone; allow an outcome.
Try it
Complete: Ich ___ dir die Entscheidung. You leave another person in charge of choosing.
Show the answer
überlasse
The decision is the accusative object and dir is its dative recipient.