German Conversation · Level 116
45 words
German word
absetzen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈapˌzɛt͡sn̩/
Meaning
- verbset down
Example
Er setzt das Gepäck vor dem Haus ab.
He sets the luggage down in front of the house.
More examples
Der Fahrer will den Fahrgast am Bahnhof absetzen.
The driver wants to drop off the passenger at the station.
Core concept
Something is moved away from its current place, position, or status.
Common phrases
absetzen das Gepäck
set down the luggage
absetzen einen Fahrgast
drop off a passenger
absetzen am Flughafen
drop off at the airport
Similar words
abstellen: Put something in its designated place and leave it there.
ausladen: Remove all cargo from a vehicle.
runterholen: Take something down from above and bring it within reach.
ablegen: Put documents or luggage on a desk or shelf in an orderly way.
Definition in German
Etwas von einer erhöhten Stelle nehmen und an eine tiefere oder andere Stelle legen oder dort zurücklassen.
Word origin
The separable prefix "ab-" conveys movement away or downward, while "setzen" means put or place, giving "absetzen" its basic sense of placing something elsewhere.
Usage tips
- In a main clause, the prefix separates, as in "Er setzt das Gepäck ab", but it remains attached in the infinitive and participle "abzusetzen" and "abgesetzt".