Lassen (To Let, Leave, and Allow) German Verb Conjugations

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Updated on February 24, 2020

The verb lassen has many meanings. It can be used alone in its basic meaning of "let" or "leave," but it also functions as a modal verb that modifies or alters the meaning of another verb. In this function, lassen can mean to "have or get something done," as in er lässt sich die Haare schneiden ("he's having his hair cut/getting a haircut"). See other examples in the conjugation chart below.

Principal Parts: lassen (lässt) • ließ • gelassen
Imperative (Commands): (du) Lass(e)! | (ihr) Lasst! | Lassen Sie!

Also see The Many Meanings of lassen

Present Tense - Präsens

DEUTSCH	ENGLISH
ich lasse	I let/leave I am letting/leaving
du lässt	you let/leave you are letting/leaving
er lässt sie lässt es lässt	he lets/leaves he is letting/leaving she lets/leaves she is letting/leaving it lets/leaves it is letting/leaving
wir lassen	we let/leave we are letting/leaving
ihr lasst	you (guys) let/leave you (guys) are letting/leaving
sie lassen	they let/leave they are letting/leaving
Sie lassen	you let/leave you are letting/leaving

Examples:
Wir lassen einen Arzt kommen.
We'll send for a doctor. ("have a doctor come")
Lass das! Stop that! Leave that alone! Forget that!
Lass mich in Ruhe! Leave me alone!
PAST TENSES • VERGANGENHEIT

Simple Past Tense - Imperfekt

DEUTSCH	ENGLISH
ich ließ	I let/left
du ließest	you let/left
er ließ sie ließ es ließ	he let/left she let/left it let/left
wir ließen	we let/left
ihr ließt	you (guys) let/left
sie ließen	they let/left
Sie ließen	you let/left

Compound Past Tense (Pres. Perfect) - Perfekt

DEUTSCH	ENGLISH
ich habe gelassen	I have let/left I let/left
du hast gelassen	you have let/left you let/left
er hat gelassen sie hat gelassen es hat gelassen	he has let/left he let/left she has let/left she let/left it has let/left it let/left
wir haben gelassen	we have let/left we let/left
ihr habt gelassen	you (guys) have let/left you let/left
sie haben gelassen	they have let/left they let/left
Sie haben gelassen	you have let/left you let/left

Past Perfect Tense - Plusquamperfekt

DEUTSCH	ENGLISH
ich hatte gelassen	I had let/left
du hattest gelassen	you had let/left
er hatte gelassen sie hatte gelassen es hatte gelassen	he had let/left she had let/left it had let/left
wir hatten gelassen	we had let/left
ihr hattet gelassen	you (guys) had let/left
sie hatten gelassen	they had let/left
Sie hatten gelassen	you had let/left