verb
to miss (a bus/train), to miss (an opportunity)
A2
Verpassen means to miss (a bus, train) or to miss an opportunity; it’s a regular (weak) transitive verb. Uses haben as auxiliary (Perfekt: hat verpasst). Non-reflexive and non-separable. Common collocations: jemanden/etwas verpassen (to miss someone/thing) or eine Gelegenheit verpassen (to miss an opportunity).
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Ich habe die Gelegenheit verpasst.
I missed the opportunity.
Ich verpasse den Bus.
I miss the bus.
Sie hat die Gelegenheit verpasst.
She missed the opportunity.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Imagine a bus driving past you while you watch — you 'verpassen' the bus.
Think 'over-pass' — you 'overpass' the bus when you miss it.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Verpassen is used for missing transports, events, or chances. It is NOT used for missing people (that is 'jemanden vermissen'). It is a transitive verb that takes a direct object (den Bus, die Gelegenheit). In perfect tenses it uses 'haben' (ich habe verpasst).