Em 15 segundos
- Used when you arrive too late for your flight departure.
- Always uses the verb 'verpassen' with the direct object 'Flug'.
- Commonly used in the past tense with 'haben' and 'verpasst'.
Significado
This phrase is used when you arrive too late for your flight and the plane leaves without you. It describes that stressful moment of realizing you've missed your departure.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Explaining a delay to a friend
Ich habe meinen Flug verpasst, weil der Wecker nicht geklingelt hat.
I missed my flight because the alarm clock didn't ring.
Warning someone to hurry up
Beeil dich, wir wollen den Flug nicht verpassen!
Hurry up, we don't want to miss the flight!
Formal email to a business partner
Aufgrund einer Zugverspätung habe ich leider den Flug verpasst.
Due to a train delay, I unfortunately missed the flight.
Contexto cultural
Germans value 'Pünktlichkeit' (punctuality). Arriving 5-10 minutes early is considered 'on time'. Missing a flight is often seen as a result of poor planning ('schlechte Planung'). Swiss travel culture is heavily integrated with trains (SBB). Missing a flight often starts with a missed train connection, which is rare due to high efficiency. Vienna International Airport is a major hub for Eastern Europe. 'Den Anschluss verpassen' is a very common phrase there for travelers going to Prague or Budapest. The phrase is central to 'Fluggastrechte' (Passenger Rights) in the EU. If you miss a flight due to airline error, you are entitled to compensation.
The 'ver-' logic
Remember that 'ver-' often means something went wrong. Ver-passen = missed timing, Ver-laufen = got lost walking.
Gender matters
Always use 'den' or 'meinen' because 'Flug' is masculine and 'verpassen' triggers the Accusative case.
Em 15 segundos
- Used when you arrive too late for your flight departure.
- Always uses the verb 'verpassen' with the direct object 'Flug'.
- Commonly used in the past tense with 'haben' and 'verpasst'.
What It Means
Imagine you are sprinting through the airport. Your heart is pounding. You reach the gate, but the doors are closed. That is den Flug verpassen. It simply means you failed to catch your flight. It is a literal expression. You use it when the plane leaves the ground while you are still on the ground. It is every traveler's nightmare. It is not just about the plane. It is about the lost time and money too.
How To Use It
This phrase is a simple collocation. You need the verb verpassen. It usually works with the auxiliary verb haben. In the past tense, it becomes habe ... verpasst. You can add reasons why it happened. Use wegen for "because of." For example, wegen des Staus. Keep your sentences short and clear. You can also use it in the future. For example: "Beeil dich, sonst verpassen wir den Flug!" This means "Hurry up, or we will miss the flight!"
When To Use It
Use it when talking about travel disasters. It fits perfectly in stories about vacations. You can use it at work too. Maybe you missed a business trip. It is common in news reports about strikes. Use it when texting friends about delays. It is a very practical phrase for any transit situation. If you are at the check-in counter and late, this is your phrase. It is useful for explaining why you are still at home instead of on a beach.
When NOT To Use It
Do not confuse verpassen with vermissen. This is a very common mistake. You vermissen your grandmother or your dog. You vermissen the sun in winter. You verpassen a train, a bus, or a flight. Never use verpassen for emotional longing. Also, do not use it for "missing" a target with a ball. That would be verfehlen. If you forget to bring your passport, that is vergessen, not verpassen.
Cultural Background
Germans take pride in being on time. Punctuality is a core cultural value. Missing a flight is seen as a major event. It often implies a lack of planning. However, everyone knows the German train system can be tricky. Sometimes, it is truly not your fault. There is a specific word for being late: Verspätung. If your train has Verspätung, you might den Flug verpassen. It is a common topic of conversation in German airports.
Common Variations
You can swap Flug for other transport. Try den Zug verpassen for the train. Or den Bus verpassen for the bus. If you miss a connection, say den Anschluss verpassen. You can also eine Gelegenheit verpassen. That means missing an opportunity. It is a versatile verb for your toolkit. You can even den Anfang verpassen if you are late for a movie. It works for anything with a fixed start time.
Notas de uso
The phrase is very stable across all regions of Germany. Just remember that 'verpassen' is an inseparable prefix verb (ver-), so the past participle is 'verpasst', not 'geverpasst'.
The 'ver-' logic
Remember that 'ver-' often means something went wrong. Ver-passen = missed timing, Ver-laufen = got lost walking.
Gender matters
Always use 'den' or 'meinen' because 'Flug' is masculine and 'verpassen' triggers the Accusative case.
Casual speech
Use 'Flieger' instead of 'Flug' to sound more like a native speaker when talking to friends.
Exemplos
6Ich habe meinen Flug verpasst, weil der Wecker nicht geklingelt hat.
I missed my flight because the alarm clock didn't ring.
A classic excuse using the perfect tense.
Beeil dich, wir wollen den Flug nicht verpassen!
Hurry up, we don't want to miss the flight!
Using the infinitive with a modal verb.
Aufgrund einer Zugverspätung habe ich leider den Flug verpasst.
Due to a train delay, I unfortunately missed the flight.
Using 'Aufgrund' makes it sound more professional.
Mist! Flug verpasst. Nächste Maschine erst morgen.
Crap! Missed the flight. Next plane not until tomorrow.
Short, clipped language typical for texting.
Ich verpasse den Flug, aber wenigstens habe ich noch eine Brezel gekauft.
I'm missing the flight, but at least I still bought a pretzel.
Focusing on the small wins in a bad situation.
Ich habe den Flug verpasst und werde die Hochzeit meiner Schwester verpassen.
I missed the flight and I will miss my sister's wedding.
Shows the consequences of the missed flight.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct form of 'verpassen' and the article.
Ich bin zu spät! Ich _______ _______ Flug.
The subject is 'Ich' (verpasse) and 'Flug' is masculine accusative (den).
Which sentence is correct?
Why did you miss the flight?
'Verpassen' uses 'haben' and is the correct verb for missing transport.
Match the German phrase to its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are all common 'verpassen' collocations.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Warum bist du noch hier? B: Mein Taxi war zu spät und ich ____ ____ ____ ____.
The past tense (Perfekt) is needed here.
In which situation do you say 'Ich habe den Flug verpasst'?
Select the correct situation:
This is the definition of the phrase.
🎉 Pontuação: /5
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
5 exerciciosIch bin zu spät! Ich _______ _______ Flug.
The subject is 'Ich' (verpasse) and 'Flug' is masculine accusative (den).
Why did you miss the flight?
'Verpassen' uses 'haben' and is the correct verb for missing transport.
Combine cada item a esquerda com seu par a direita:
These are all common 'verpassen' collocations.
A: Warum bist du noch hier? B: Mein Taxi war zu spät und ich ____ ____ ____ ____.
The past tense (Perfekt) is needed here.
Select the correct situation:
This is the definition of the phrase.
🎉 Pontuação: /5
Perguntas frequentes
5 perguntasYes, but only if you mean you missed meeting them because of timing. 'Ich habe ihn am Bahnhof verpasst.'
It is always 'den Flug' (Accusative) because 'verpassen' is a transitive verb.
'Versäumen' is more formal and often used for duties or appointments (e.g., eine Frist versäumen). 'Verpassen' is better for transport.
Use 'Ich habe {den|m} Anschluss verpasst.'
It always uses 'haben'. 'Ich habe verpasst.'
Frases relacionadas
den Zug verpassen
similarTo miss the train
den Anschluss verpassen
specialized formTo miss the connection
eine Chance verpassen
similarTo miss an opportunity
sich verspäten
builds onTo be late
umbuchen
builds onTo rebook
