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abfahren
/apˈfaːʁən/
to depart
Der Zug fährt um 10 Uhr ab.
The train departs at 10 o'clock.
general
to depart or leave a place, especially by vehicle
Wir müssen bald abfahren.
We need to depart soon.
Commonly used for trains, buses, and other vehicles.
informal
to remove or take away something
Er hat den Müll abfahren lassen.
He had the trash taken away.
Often used with 'lassen' (to have something done).
informal
to be very good or impressive (slang)
Das Konzert war richtig abgefahren!
The concert was totally awesome!
Slang usage, especially among younger speakers.
Collocations
abfahren lassento have something taken awayabfahren könnento be able to depart
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Separable Prefix
Remember that 'abfahren' is a separable verb, so in past tense, the prefix moves to the end: 'Ich fahre ab' → 'Ich fuhr ab.'
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The meaning of 'abfahren' depends heavily on context—whether it's about departure, removal, or slang.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'abvaren', from 'ab-' (away) + 'fahren' (to travel).
Usage Notes
The verb 'abfahren' is separable, meaning the prefix 'ab-' can be separated from the verb in certain grammatical constructions.
Word Breakdown
ab-
away, off
prefixfahren
to travel, to go
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