En 15 secondes
- Getting official permission from a boss or authority.
- Using 'lassen' to show someone else gives the 'okay'.
- Essential for work, permits, and bureaucratic processes.
Signification
This phrase is used when you need to get official permission or a 'green light' from someone in authority before you can do something.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Requesting time off at work
Ich muss mir noch meinen Sommerurlaub genehmigen lassen.
I still need to have my summer vacation approved.
Building a fence in the garden
Wir müssen den neuen Zaun erst vom Bauamt genehmigen lassen.
We have to get the new fence approved by the building office first.
Texting a partner about a big purchase
Muss ich mir das neue Videospiel erst bei dir genehmigen lassen?
Do I have to get the new video game approved by you first?
Contexte culturel
The 'Dienstweg' (official channel) is sacred. Skipping a level of hierarchy to get something approved is seen as a major faux pas. Titles are very important in the approval process. You don't just get it approved; you get it approved by 'Herr Magister' or 'Frau Doktor'. Direct democracy means even small local changes (like a new fountain) might need to be 'genehmigt' by a local committee or vote. The 'Vier-Augen-Prinzip' (four-eyes principle) means most things must be approved by at least two people.
The 'Paper Trail' Rule
If there is a form to sign, always use 'genehmigen lassen'. It makes you sound like a pro who understands German office culture.
Don't forget the 'mir'!
If you forget the 'mir', the sentence feels incomplete. It's 'sich (Dativ) etwas (Akkusativ) genehmigen lassen'.
En 15 secondes
- Getting official permission from a boss or authority.
- Using 'lassen' to show someone else gives the 'okay'.
- Essential for work, permits, and bureaucratic processes.
What It Means
Think of genehmigen lassen as the ultimate 'Mother, may I?' of the German language. It is a combination of the verb genehmigen (to approve) and the causative lassen (to let/have). When you use this, you are saying that you aren't the one doing the approving. Instead, you are submitting something to a boss, a government office, or even a strict partner to get their blessing. It is about the process of seeking official consent.
How To Use It
You will mostly use this with the accusative case for the thing being approved. For example, Ich muss mir den Urlaub genehmigen lassen. Notice the mir (to me) often sneaks in there to show who is benefiting from the approval. The word lassen is the part you conjugate. If you are talking about the past, it usually looks like hat ... genehmigen lassen. It sounds a bit technical, but it is incredibly common in daily life.
When To Use It
Use this anytime there is a hierarchy involved. At work, you use it for vacation days, travel expenses, or new projects. In your personal life, you use it for building permits or even a big purchase if you share a bank account. Use it when you want to sound responsible and organized. It shows you respect the rules and the process. It is the 'safe' way to talk about your plans.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this for casual favors between friends. If you ask a friend to borrow a pen, you don't 'let it be approved.' That would sound like you think your friend is a government bureaucrat. Also, avoid it for things you have total control over. You don't genehmigen lassen your own lunch choice unless you are making a joke about your strict diet. It requires a second party with the power to say 'no.'
Cultural Background
Germany is famous (or infamous) for its love of order and 'Bürokratie.' This phrase is the linguistic heart of that culture. In Germany, many things require a stamp or a signature. From 'Baugenehmigungen' (building permits) to 'Urlaubsanträge' (vacation requests), the process of getting things approved is a national pastime. Using this phrase correctly makes you sound like you truly understand how the German system works. It reflects a culture that values consensus and official validation.
Common Variations
You might hear absegnen lassen which literally means 'to have it blessed.' It is slightly more informal and used when you just need a quick 'okay' from a boss. Then there is bewilligen lassen, which is specifically for money or grants. If you are feeling very official, you might use beantragen (to apply for), but genehmigen lassen focuses on the successful end result of that application. It is the difference between asking and actually getting the 'yes.'
Notes d'usage
This phrase is standard in German offices. It sits perfectly in the 'neutral to formal' range. Avoid using it with children or pets unless you are being intentionally sarcastic.
The 'Paper Trail' Rule
If there is a form to sign, always use 'genehmigen lassen'. It makes you sound like a pro who understands German office culture.
Don't forget the 'mir'!
If you forget the 'mir', the sentence feels incomplete. It's 'sich (Dativ) etwas (Akkusativ) genehmigen lassen'.
Sarcastic Usage
Germans sometimes use this sarcastically when a friend is being too controlling: 'Soll ich mir das auch noch genehmigen lassen?' (Should I get that approved too?)
Exemples
6Ich muss mir noch meinen Sommerurlaub genehmigen lassen.
I still need to have my summer vacation approved.
A classic office scenario using 'mir' for personal benefit.
Wir müssen den neuen Zaun erst vom Bauamt genehmigen lassen.
We have to get the new fence approved by the building office first.
Refers to the literal legal process of permits.
Muss ich mir das neue Videospiel erst bei dir genehmigen lassen?
Do I have to get the new video game approved by you first?
Using a formal concept in a relationship for a playful effect.
Das Projekt wurde endlich genehmigt, nachdem wir es uns mühsam haben genehmigen lassen.
The project was finally approved after we laboriously had it authorized.
Emphasizes the effort of the approval process.
Als Kind musste ich mir jeden Ausflug einzeln genehmigen lassen.
As a child, I had to get every single outing approved.
Conveys a sense of being controlled or restricted.
Lass dir die Reisekosten unbedingt vorher genehmigen!
Make sure to get the travel costs approved beforehand!
Practical advice to avoid paying out of pocket.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing parts of the sentence.
Ich muss ___ ___ den Urlaubsantrag vom Chef genehmigen ___.
The reflexive pronoun must be Dative ('mir') and the causative verb is 'lassen'.
Which sentence is correct for a formal office environment?
How do you say you need to get a project approved?
'Genehmigen lassen' is the standard professional collocation.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hast du die neuen Möbel schon bestellt? B: Nein, ich muss mir erst die ___ genehmigen lassen.
You need to get an 'Ausgabe' (expense/expenditure) approved in a business context.
Match the situation to the correct phrase.
You want to build a balcony on your apartment.
Building structures require official 'Genehmigung'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Common things to 'genehmigen lassen'
Work
- • Urlaub
- • Überstunden
- • Dienstreise
Money
- • Budget
- • Kredit
- • Ausgaben
Legal
- • Bauplan
- • Visum
- • Demo
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesIch muss ___ ___ den Urlaubsantrag vom Chef genehmigen ___.
The reflexive pronoun must be Dative ('mir') and the causative verb is 'lassen'.
How do you say you need to get a project approved?
'Genehmigen lassen' is the standard professional collocation.
A: Hast du die neuen Möbel schon bestellt? B: Nein, ich muss mir erst die ___ genehmigen lassen.
You need to get an 'Ausgabe' (expense/expenditure) approved in a business context.
You want to build a balcony on your apartment.
Building structures require official 'Genehmigung'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, that would be way too formal. Just use 'Darf ich...?' or 'Kann ich...?'
Mostly work and government. You can also use it for formal clubs or universities.
'Genehmigen' is general permission; 'bewilligen' is specifically for money or resources.
Yes, if you are the one benefiting from the approval. If the company is getting a building approved, you'd say 'Die Firma lässt den Bau genehmigen'.
Ich habe es mir genehmigen lassen.
In a normal sentence, it's 'lassen'. In an infinitive clause (with 'um...zu' or 'es ist wichtig...'), use 'genehmigen zu lassen'.
Only if you are being funny or if it's a very serious, formal family matter (like an inheritance).
{die|f} Genehmigung. You can say 'Ich brauche eine Genehmigung'.
Yes, it is standard high German used across all German-speaking countries.
No, here 'lassen' means 'to have something done' (causative).
Expressions liées
etwas absegnen lassen
similarto get the final nod/blessing
eine Genehmigung erteilen
contrastto grant an approval
etwas bewilligen
specialized formto grant/approve (usually money)
sich mit jemandem absprechen
similarto coordinate with someone
