lassen or verlassen?
b1The prefix ver- changes the direction: lassen means to leave something behind, to allow, or to have something done, verlassen means to leave a place or a person for good. Leaving your book at home means forgetting it; leaving your home means moving out.
lassen
Three meanings: to leave behind (den Schlüssel liegen lassen), to allow (lass mich!) and to have done (das Auto reparieren lassen). Before a second verb it takes no zu.
Ich habe meinen Schirm im Zug gelassen.I left my umbrella on the train.
verlassen
To leave a place or a person, with the accusative and a note of finality. The reflexive sich verlassen auf means to rely on.
Bitte verlassen Sie das Gebäude.Please leave the building.
The mistake
Ich habe meine Tasche im Büro verlassen.
Ich habe meine Tasche im Büro gelassen.
Verlassen needs a place or a person as its object, not a forgotten thing. The wrong sentence sounds as if the bag had ended a relationship.
Rule of thumb
Ask what is being left behind. An object stays lying there: lassen. A place or a person is left behind: verlassen.
Learn this with merke.me
Create a free account to practice this with spaced repetition and track your progress.
Start free