In 15 Seconds
- Used for food, documents, and contracts reaching their end date.
- A separable verb: 'ab' moves to the end in present tense.
- Always use 'sein' (ist abgelaufen) for the past tense.
- Refers to validity, not physical breakage or human death.
Meaning
Think of this as a countdown reaching zero. It is used when a document, a contract, or even your favorite yogurt reaches its 'best before' date and is no longer valid or safe to use.
Key Examples
3 of 6Checking the fridge
Die Milch ist leider gestern abgelaufen.
The milk unfortunately expired yesterday.
At the airport check-in
Ihr Reisepass läuft in zwei Wochen ab.
Your passport expires in two weeks.
Texting about a discount code
Beeil dich, der Gutschein läuft heute um Mitternacht ab!
Hurry up, the voucher expires tonight at midnight!
Cultural Background
The 'Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum' (MHD) is often misunderstood. Many Germans throw food away the day it 'läuft ab', but the government now campaigns with 'Oft länger gut' (Often good for longer) to reduce waste. If your {das|n} Visum or {der|m} Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) is 'abgelaufen', you must act immediately. There is very little 'Kulanz' (leniency) for expired documents in Germany. An 'Ablaufplan' is a standard part of any German meeting. It lists exactly what will happen and when. Deviating from the 'Ablauf' can be seen as a lack of preparation. In the age of 'Abos' (subscriptions), Germans are very conscious of 'Kündigungsfristen' (cancellation deadlines). If you don't cancel before the contract 'abläuft', it often automatically renews for another year.
The 'Sein' Trap
Always use 'ist abgelaufen'. Using 'hat' is the most common mistake for English speakers.
Umlaut Alert
Remember: ich laufe, but du lÄufst and er lÄuft. The stem change is vital for sounding natural.
In 15 Seconds
- Used for food, documents, and contracts reaching their end date.
- A separable verb: 'ab' moves to the end in present tense.
- Always use 'sein' (ist abgelaufen) for the past tense.
- Refers to validity, not physical breakage or human death.
What It Means
Ablaufen is a very versatile German verb. At its heart, it means something is reaching its end. Imagine water running out of a sink or a runner finishing a lap. In daily life, you will hear it most often when talking about time limits. It is that annoying moment when your passport is no longer valid. Or when your Netflix subscription needs a renewal. It is about the expiration of a deadline or a product.
How To Use It
Using it is quite simple because it behaves like a regular verb. However, it is a separable verb. This means the ab part likes to jump to the end of the sentence in simple present tense. For example, you would say: Mein Pass läuft morgen ab. If you are talking about the past, you use ist abgelaufen. It uses the auxiliary verb sein because it describes a change of state.
When To Use It
Use it whenever you see a date on a label. It is perfect for food in your fridge that looks a bit suspicious. Use it for official documents like visas, ID cards, or driver's licenses. It also works for digital things like discount codes or trial periods. You can even use it for processes, like asking how a meeting will ablaufen (proceed), though the 'expire' meaning is the most common for beginners.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use ablaufen for people dying. That would be very awkward and quite rude! For people, we use sterben. Also, do not use it for things that simply break, like a chair. If your phone screen cracks, it is kaputt, not abgelaufen. It only applies to things that have a specific time limit or a functional end date.
Cultural Background
Germany is a land of rules and deadlines. Being 'pünktlich' (punctual) is one thing, but keeping your paperwork in order is another. An abgelaufen document can cause a lot of stress at the 'Bürgeramt' (citizens' office). Germans take 'Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum' (best before dates) quite seriously, though there is a growing movement to trust your nose more than the date on the milk carton!
Common Variations
Der Ablauf: The process or the expiration.Das Ablaufdatum: The expiration date.Gültig bis: Valid until (the opposite of expired).Verlängern: To extend (what you do before something runs out).
Usage Notes
The phrase is neutral and safe for all situations. Just remember the vowel change (a to ä) in the third person singular.
The 'Sein' Trap
Always use 'ist abgelaufen'. Using 'hat' is the most common mistake for English speakers.
Umlaut Alert
Remember: ich laufe, but du lÄufst and er lÄuft. The stem change is vital for sounding natural.
MHD vs. Verbrauchsdatum
MHD (Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum) means it's 'best before'. 'Verbrauchsdatum' (use by) is for meat and means it's dangerous after it expires.
Examples
6Die Milch ist leider gestern abgelaufen.
The milk unfortunately expired yesterday.
A very common daily use for food items.
Ihr Reisepass läuft in zwei Wochen ab.
Your passport expires in two weeks.
Formal notification about document validity.
Beeil dich, der Gutschein läuft heute um Mitternacht ab!
Hurry up, the voucher expires tonight at midnight!
Creating a sense of urgency with friends.
Mist, mein Parkticket ist schon abgelaufen!
Crap, my parking ticket has already expired!
Expressing frustration over a missed deadline.
Mein Vertrag läuft Ende des Monats ab.
My contract expires at the end of the month.
Standard way to talk about subscriptions.
Es fühlt sich an, als wäre unsere gemeinsame Zeit abgelaufen.
It feels as if our time together has run out.
Metaphorical use for a period of time ending.
Test Yourself
Füllen Sie die Lücke mit der richtigen Form von 'ablaufen' im Präsens.
Mein {der|m} Reisepass _______ nächsten Monat ab.
The subject is 'mein Reisepass' (er/sie/es), so we need the 3rd person singular with an umlaut.
Welcher Satz ist grammatikalisch richtig?
Wähle den richtigen Satz im Perfekt.
Ablaufen uses 'sein' and the participle is 'abgelaufen'.
Welche Bedeutung von 'ablaufen' passt hier?
Satz: 'Der {der|m} Filmabend ist sehr ruhig abgelaufen.'
In this context, it describes the manner in which the evening happened.
Vervollständigen Sie das Gespräch.
A: 'Warum isst du den {der|m} Joghurt nicht?' B: 'Weil er gestern _________ ___.'
The yogurt expired in the past, so we use Perfekt with 'ist'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMein {der|m} Reisepass _______ nächsten Monat ab.
The subject is 'mein Reisepass' (er/sie/es), so we need the 3rd person singular with an umlaut.
Wähle den richtigen Satz im Perfekt.
Ablaufen uses 'sein' and the participle is 'abgelaufen'.
Satz: 'Der {der|m} Filmabend ist sehr ruhig abgelaufen.'
In this context, it describes the manner in which the evening happened.
A: 'Warum isst du den {der|m} Joghurt nicht?' B: 'Weil er gestern _________ ___.'
The yogurt expired in the past, so we use Perfekt with 'ist'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsUsually no. Use 'enden' or 'zu Ende sein'. 'Ablaufen' would only be used if you are describing the technical process of the film running through a projector.
For food and passports, yes. But for a process, 'gut abgelaufen' means it went well, which is positive!
They are often interchangeable for contracts. However, 'auslaufen' also means 'to leak' (like a battery or a bottle), which 'ablaufen' does not.
You say 'Meine Zeit läuft ab'. It's very dramatic and common in movies.
Yes, extremely. You'll see it in 'Arbeitsablauf' (workflow) or 'Projektablauf' (project timeline).
Yes, 'Mein Netflix-Abo ist abgelaufen' is perfectly correct.
In very specific contexts, like 'sich die Hacken ablaufen' (to walk one's heels off), but usually no.
It always uses 'sein' in the perfect tense (ist abgelaufen).
Yes, to describe how it went: 'Das Meeting lief ruhig ab.'
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
Related Phrases
auslaufen
similarto leak or to phase out
verfallen
specialized formto decay or to become void
vorgehen
contrastto proceed or to go first
beenden
contrastto end/finish
verstreichen
synonymto pass (of time)
