The German Verb lassen: All Six Meanings
Lassen is one of the most important and most confusing German verbs. Does it mean let, leave, or something else? In this lesson, Johannes from YourGermanTeacher shows the six meanings of lassen, how to conjugate it, and how to build the Perfekt with either gelassen or lassen.
Conjugation
| Person | lassen | Person | lassen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | lasse | wir | lassen |
| du | lÀsst | ihr | lasst |
| er / sie / es | lÀsst | sie / Sie | lassen |
Lassen is irregular: the a becomes À in the du and er/sie/es forms. It also has two participles, gelassen and lassen. See the bonus section below for when to use which.
The Six Meanings of lassen
| # | Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | to have something done (veranlassen) | Morgen lasse ich meine Haare schneiden. | Tomorrow I'm getting my hair cut. |
| 1 | to have something done | Morgen lÀsst er sein Auto reparieren. | Tomorrow he's having his car repaired. |
| 2 | to allow (erlauben) | Lisa lÀsst ihre Katze im Bett schlafen. | Lisa lets her cat sleep in the bed. |
| 2 | to allow | Paul lÀsst seine Kinder im Park spielen. | Paul lets his kids play in the park. |
| 3 | to leave behind (zurĂŒcklassen) | Ich lasse meinen Laptop im BĂŒro. | I'm leaving my laptop at the office. |
| 4 | to make a suggestion | Lass uns ins Kino gehen. / Lasst uns ins Kino gehen. | Let's go to the cinema. |
| 5 | to stop doing something | Lass mich in Ruhe. / Lass das! / NĂ€chstes Jahr lasse ich das Rauchen. | Leave me alone. / Stop that! / I'll quit smoking next year. |
| 6 | passive substitute | Die TĂŒr lĂ€sst sich nicht öffnen. | The door cannot be opened. |
1. Having Something Done
With this meaning, someone else does the job for you, usually for money. Ich lasse meine Haare schneiden means a hairdresser cuts your hair. If you cut them yourself, use a normal verb: Ich schneide meine Haare.
2. Allowing Something and the Modal Verb Structure
Lassen is not a modal verb, but it behaves like one: the second verb stands at the end of the sentence in the infinitive. Paul lÀsst seine Kinder im Park spielen.
4. Suggestions: lass uns and lasst uns
Use lass uns plus an infinitive when you speak to one person, and lasst uns when you speak to a group. Lass uns das spontan entscheiden. means Let's play it by ear.
6. Lassen as a Passive Substitute
Instead of the passive Die TĂŒr kann nicht geöffnet werden, you can say Die TĂŒr lĂ€sst sich nicht öffnen. This construction uses sich and only appears in the third person, singular or plural: Das Auto lĂ€sst sich nicht mehr reparieren. Die Fenster lassen sich einfach öffnen.
Bonus Tip: gelassen or lassen in the Perfekt?
| Situation | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lassen is the only verb | haben + gelassen | Ich habe meinen Laptop im BĂŒro gelassen. |
| lassen with a second verb | haben + infinitive + lassen | Gestern habe ich meine Haare schneiden lassen. |
| lassen with a second verb | haben + infinitive + lassen | Ich habe mein Handy fallen lassen. |
| passive substitute | haben + infinitive + lassen | Das Fahrrad hat sich reparieren lassen. |
In everyday speech many Germans also say gelassen in the second case, but standard German uses lassen. Homework: write one sentence with lassen in the present tense and one in the Perfekt.
What to Learn Next
Review the passive in The German Passive Voice in the Present Tense and the participles in The German Past Participle: All the Rules. For the word order with two verbs, see Satzbau I: German Main Clause Word Order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does lassen mean in German?
Lassen has six main meanings: to have something done, to allow, to leave behind, to suggest (lass uns), to stop doing something, and a passive substitute (sich lassen).
How do you conjugate lassen?
Ich lasse, du lÀsst, er/sie/es lÀsst, wir lassen, ihr lasst, sie/Sie lassen. It is irregular in the du and er/sie/es forms.
Is the Perfekt of lassen gelassen or lassen?
Use gelassen when lassen is the only verb (Ich habe meinen Laptop im BĂŒro gelassen). Use lassen when there is a second verb (Ich habe mein Handy fallen lassen).
What is the difference between lass uns and lasst uns?
Both mean let's. Use lass uns when you talk to one person and lasst uns when you talk to a group.
What does sich lassen mean?
It replaces the passive: Die TĂŒr lĂ€sst sich nicht öffnen means The door cannot be opened. It is only used in the third person.
Ready for the next level of grammar? Continue with the structured lessons of the B1 German online course from YourGermanTeacher.
