verb

veranlassen

initiate · arrange · cause · prompt

Dafür sorgen, dass jemand etwas tut oder etwas passiert.

Definition & meaning

veranlassen is a transitive German verb meaning to cause, bring about, arrange, or prompt something to happen.

It is commonly used in two related ways:

To cause or bring about an action or event
- Die Änderung veranlasste eine Diskussion.
  “The change prompted a discussion.”
To arrange or order something officially
- Die Behörde veranlasste eine Untersuchung.
  “The authorities ordered or arranged an investigation.”

It can also mean to persuade or prompt someone to do something:

Er veranlasste ihn, den Vertrag zu unterschreiben.
“He prompted him to sign the contract.”

The verb often has a somewhat formal or administrative tone.

Grammar & Word origin

veranlassen is a regular, inseparable verb.

Infinitive: veranlassen
Present tense, third-person singular: veranlasst
Simple past: veranlasste
Present perfect: hat veranlasst

Typical grammatical patterns are:

etwas veranlassen — to arrange or cause something
jemanden zu etwas veranlassen — to prompt or induce someone to do something
jemanden dazu veranlassen, etwas zu tun — to cause someone to do something

The word is related to der Anlass , meaning “occasion,” “reason,” or “cause.” The prefix ver- forms a verb expressing the act of bringing something about.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

bewirken — “to bring about” or “to cause”; emphasizes the result rather than the deliberate arrangement.
auslösen — “to trigger”; often used for reactions, events, or processes.
herbeiführen — “to bring about”; more formal and focused on producing a particular result.
anordnen — “to order” or “to instruct”; stronger than veranlassen, because it implies authority.
auffordern — “to request” or “to urge someone to do something”; focuses on a direct appeal rather than causing or arranging an event.
initiieren — “to initiate”; often used for projects, processes, or formal measures.

Antonyms

verhindern — “to prevent”; means stopping something from happening.
unterlassen — “to refrain from” or “to omit”; means deliberately not carrying out an action.
vermeiden — “to avoid”; means taking steps so that something does not occur.
jemanden davon abhalten — “to stop or deter someone from doing something”; contrasts with prompting someone to act.

Common phrases & collocations

eine Untersuchung veranlassen — to order or arrange an investigation
eine Prüfung veranlassen — to arrange an inspection or examination
Maßnahmen veranlassen — to initiate or order measures
eine Zahlung veranlassen — to arrange or authorize a payment
eine Änderung veranlassen — to bring about or arrange a change
jemanden zu einer Handlung veranlassen — to prompt someone to take an action
jemanden dazu veranlassen, etwas zu tun — to cause or persuade someone to do something