verb

lassen

let · leave

Jemandem erlauben, etwas zu tun, oder etwas nicht verhindern.

Definition & meaning

The verb lassen is one of the most versatile and important verbs in the German language. It generally expresses ideas of permission, causation, or cessation. It has several distinct meanings:

To let / To allow: Used to express permission or to grant someone the freedom to do something (e.g., "Ich lasse ihn gehen" - I let him go).
To have something done: Used as a causative construction. When followed by an infinitive, it means that the subject is not doing the action themselves but is having it performed by someone else (e.g., "Ich lasse mein Auto reparieren" - I am having my car repaired).
To leave / To leave behind: Used to describe leaving an object or person in a specific place or state (e.g., "Ich habe meinen Schlüssel zu Hause gelassen" - I left my key at home).
To stop / To quit: Used when someone ceases an action or stops doing something (e.g., "Lass das!" - Stop that!).
To be able to (Passive substitute): Often used in constructions like "Das lässt sich machen," which translates to "That can be done" or "That is doable."

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar: lassen is a strong, irregular verb. Its conjugation is: ich lasse, du lässt, er/sie/es lässt, wir lassen, ihr lasst, sie/Sie lassen. The past tense (Präteritum) is ließ, and the perfect tense is formed with haben (e.g., hat ... gelassen). It also frequently functions as a modal-like auxiliary verb.
Word origin: The word stems from the Old High German lāzan, which is related to the English word "let." It shares common Germanic roots with the Gothic lētan.