The Many Meanings of the German Verb Lassen

The Many Meanings of the German Verb Lassen Principal Parts: lassen, ließ, gelassen The German verb lassen is a very useful irregular (strong) verb with the basic meaning of to allow or to let. But it has many other meanings and is used often in everyday German. Common Verb Combinations The verb lassen is also found in several common verbal phrases. Under the new spelling rules, they are written as two words, although the old combined spelling is still accepted. A few examples: fallen lassen to drop, fahren lassen to abandon/give up (hope), stehen lassen to leave (standing). Below we examine this extremely versatile verb, which can have over a dozen different meanings in English (and German), depending on the context. However, one can reduce these many meanings of lassen into seven basic categories: to allow/letto get/have doneto cause/maketo leave (behind)a suggestion (Lets do something.)to cease/quit/stop (doing something)to be possible (reflexive, sich) The various specific meanings listed below will generally fall into one of these seven main categories. Each meaning has one or more German synonyms listed along with the English meaning. Lassen (erlauben, zulassen) English Meaning: to allow, letExamples: Sie lsst ihren Hund auf dem Bett schlafen. (She lets her dog sleep on the bed.) Das lasse ich mit mir nicht machen. (I wont stand for / put up with that. Lit., I wont allow that with me.) Lassen (veranlassen, helping verb, modal verb) English Meaning: to get/have doneExamples: Sie lassen sich scheiden. (Theyre getting a divorce.) Er hat sich die Haare schneiden lassen. (He got a haircut.) Lassen Sie Herrn Schmidt hereinkommen. (Please send Mr. Schmidt in.) Lassen (vorschlagen) English Meaning: to let (let me, lets)Examples: Lass uns gehen. (Lets go.) Lass ihn das machen. (Have / Let him do that.) Lassen (aufhà ¶ren, unterlassen) English Meaning: to stop, refrain from (doing something)Examples: Lassen Sie das! (Stop doing that! Leave that alone!) Er konnte es einfach nicht lassen. (He just couldnt resist it.) Sie kann das Rauchen nicht lassen. (She cant quit / give up smoking.) Lassen (stehen lassen, zurà ¼cklassen) English Meaning: to leave (sth somewhere)Examples: Bitte lass den Koffer stehen. (Please leave the suitcase [standing] where it is.) Lassen Sie sie nicht draußen warten. (Dont leave them waiting outside.) Lassen (à ¼briglassen) English Meaning: to leave (behind, over)Example: Die Diebe haben ihnen nichts gelassen. (The thieves cleaned them out / left them with nothing.) Lassen (nicht stà ¶ren) English Meaning: to leave alone, leave in peaceExample: Lass mich in Ruhe! (Leave me alone!) Lassen (bewegen) English Meaning: to put, place, run (water)Examples: Hast du ihm Wasser in die Wanne gelassen? (Did you run his bath water?) Wir lassen das Boot zu Wasser. (Were putting out the boat/putting the boat into the water.) Lassen (zugestehen) English Meaning: to grant, admitExample: Das muss ich dir lassen. (Ill have to grant you that.) Lassen (verlieren) English Meaning: to loseExample: Er hat sein Leben dafà ¼r gelassen. (He laid down his life for that.) Lassen (mà ¶glich sein, reflexive) English Meaning: to be possibleExamples: Hier lsst sich gut leben. (One can live well here.) Das Fenster lsst sich nicht à ¶ffnen. (The window wont open. The window cant be opened.) Das lsst sich nicht leicht beweisen. (That wont be easy to prove.) Lassen (verursachen) English Meaning: to cause, make (sb do sth)Example: Die Explosion ließ ihn hochfahren. (The explosion made him jump.) Idioms and Expressions With Lassen blau anlaufen lassento temper (metal)sich blicken lassento show ones faceeinen lassento cut one, let one rip (vulgar)die Kirche im Dorf lassento not get carried away, not over-do it (leave the church in the village)jdn im Stich lassento leave sb holding the bag, leave sb in the lurchkeine grauen Haare darà ¼ber wachsen lassento not lose any sleep over sthkein gutes Haar an jdm/etw lassento pick sb/sth apart / to pieces Compound Verbs Based on Lassen ablassen (sep.) to drain, empty, let outanlassen (sep.) to start (motor), leave on (clothes)auslassen (sep.) to omit, leave out; vent, let outbelassen (insep.) to leave (in place), leave at that (dabei)entlassen (insep.) to discharge, dismiss, lay offà ¼berlassen (insep.) to hand over, turn over tounterlassen (insep.) to omit, not do, refrain from doing​verlassen (insep.) to abandon, leave behindzerlassen (insep.) to melt, dissolve (cooking)zulassen (insep.) to grant, permit

7 ways to get out of a rut when you hate your job

7 ways to get out of a rut when you hate your job Hate your job? Or just feel stuck? Maybe the problem is you and maybe the problem is the job, but sometimes moving on right away is not an option. If this is your situation, there are ways to make walking through the door of the job you despise  more bearable. So even if you’re just sticking around and biding time until you find something more bearable, here are some strategies to find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places.1. Fix what is in your control.What’s the root of your actual problem/malaise? It is possible to find the root of your work blahs and correct it, thus making your job everything it ought to be? Ask yourself which tasks you like vs. hate, what things challenge you, and what things make you unbelievably bored. You can always try and find a way to shift the balance to the good stuff by taking a little initiative and making a good case to the powers that be.2. Examine yourself to see if the problem lies within.Just for a second, forget all the reason s your job is the problem and ask yourself what’s going on with you. Is this job/company/industry right for you? If not, can you move? How long would the process take? If the problem turns out to be your attitude and not your work life, then you can fix that with a lot less logistical mess.3. Think about the big picture.Zoom out and start thinking about your future. Ask yourself what you really want- a sort of mission statement for your career. Make yourself a declaration of purpose, along with rough sketch of where you want to be in 5 years. Then ask yourself how you can get there. Suck whatever marrow you can from the bone you have in front of you while planning how to get the next one. Find your breakthrough moment- when you realize what you want and how you are going to go about getting it.4. Look at the other grass.Think that career across the lawn looks greener and easier? Take some time to watch someone else work and see a) whether their life is actually much different , and (more importantly) b) whether you can infuse something you learn from watching them work into how your approach your own professional journey. You never know what sort of revolutionary methods you can come up with to jazz up your career.5. Surround yourself with positive people.Bond with colleagues who radiate positivity. When you’re stuck in a rut and hate your job, it can be really easy (and sometimes utterly necessary) to fall into the habit of spending all your time with other complaining coworkers. But if you try to spend some time with the people who aren’t quite so jaded, you might just find your own attitude improves by osmosis.6. Do better.Just because your job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be doesn’t mean that you can phone it in or casually fail at it. Keep improving and see if you can get that extra award or certification, or reach that higher bar in order to make a transition out of there much easier. Take online courses. Take you r company up on professional development programming. Start trying super-hard and see what happens.7. Practice self-care.On bad days when you just can’t stand it anymore, don’t despair. Instead, take a quick walk outside to shake off your bad mood. Go take a coffee- or an ice cream- break somewhere in nature. Whatever you do, don’t let your whole mood and demeanor go sour because of small things. Shake it off and get back to the task at hand- improving your situation or finding a path out.