verb
to omit, to refrain from, to neglect
B1
Means 'to omit', 'to refrain from' or 'to neglect' (often legal). It's non-reflexive and takes a direct object (etwas unterlassen). Uses haben as auxiliary. Strong/irregular: present vowel change (du/er: unterlässt) and Präteritum unterließ, Partizip II unterlassen. Common in formal contexts.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Er hat es unterlassen, die Information zu erwähnen.
He omitted to mention the information.
Bitte unterlassen Sie dieses Verhalten.
Please refrain from that behavior.
Ich habe es unterlassen.
I refrained from doing it.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture someone holding back and not doing something — they 'unterlassen' the action.
Think 'under-last-en' — imagine letting something 'under-last' meaning you leave it out (omit).
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Often used in formal/legal contexts (e.g., 'unterlassene Hilfeleistung'). It is inseparable and behaves like the verb 'lassen' in many forms.