There are many German verbs that consist of a rather common or basic verb combined with a prefix. Their meaning may then be somewhat or completely different from the verb they contain. You may have read our lessons about verbs related to gehen and verbs with holen. We also have overviews for sprechen and kaufen. Today, let's have a look at some verbs that stem from the verb laufen. 

banner PLACEHOLDER

By itself, the verb laufen is sometimes synonymous with the translation of gehen as "to walk." However, it also means "to run," and can be used to describe a human or animal running, but also a machine that is "running." It is often used to describe something that is in progress, happening, in operation, or proceeding. Take a look at how the following sentences are translated:

Wir laufen durch die Straßen.

We walk through the streets.

Caption 39, Christina Stürmer: Wir leben den Moment

 Play Caption

Ja, und wie läuft's bei dir so in der Wache? Nein, sag bloß!

Yes, and how is it going with you at the station? No way!

Caption 46, Großstadtrevier: Von Monstern und Mördern

 Play Caption

Und das sind die drei Kriterien, wenn die gut laufen, dann läuft auch der Blindenfußball gut.

And these are the three criteria, if they go well, then blind football also goes well.

Caption 22, Blindenfußball Treffen nach Ton

 Play Caption

Die meisten kennen mich wahrscheinlich aus der Sendung „Der Bachelor“, die sehr erfolgreich auf RTL läuft.

Most of you probably know me from the series "Der Bachelor," which is having a very successful run on RTL.

Captions 11-12, Anja Polzer: Interview

 Play Caption

Sorry, das läuft auf meinem alten Laptop nicht. Da müssen wir zu dir.

Sorry, this won't run on my old laptop. We'll have to go to your place.

Caption 35, Die Pfefferkörner: Gerüchteküche

 Play Caption

And now for some related verbs. Let's begin with ablaufen, which can mean "to go," "to proceed," "to lapse," or "to expire." 

Bei manchen Leuten läuft's sogar komplett ohne Symptome ab.

For some people, it even runs its course completely without symptoms.

Caption 23, Coronavirus: Schutzmasken zum Selbermachen

 Play Caption

Jetzt werde ich euch erzählen, wie ein Tag in meinem Leben abläuft.

Now I will tell you how a day in my life goes.

Caption 16, Jenny erklärt: Zeitintervalle

 Play Caption

Deine Zeit ist gleich abgelaufen.

Your time will be up soon.

Caption 21, Küss mich, Frosch: Für immer Frosch?

 Play Caption

banner PLACEHOLDER

Among its many meanings, verb auslaufen can mean "to spill" or "to leak," but also "to run out" or "to peter out."

Die Ostalgie-Welle ist auch langsam ausgelaufen.

The wave of "Ostalgie" has also slowly petered out.

Caption 2, Der Trabi: Das Kultauto aus dem Osten

 Play Caption

Then there are the verbs verlaufen and sich verlaufen. As you can see, these have very different meanings!

Bis jetzt ist alles wirklich gut verlaufen.

Up until now, everything has really gone well.

Caption 7, Berufsleben: Probleme mit Mitarbeitern

 Play Caption

Du sagst, wir haben uns nie verlaufen.

You say we've never gotten lost.

Caption 21, Philipp Dittberner: Das ist dein Leben

 Play Caption

Further Learning
You can find many other verbs in this list, some of which are more common than others. You will find many of these on Yabla German as well. Try to make your own examples with the following verbs: davonlaufen, fortlaufen, entlaufen, and herumlaufen.

There are many videos on Yabla German that end with the following sentence:

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Ich verabschiede mich bis zum nächsten Mal. Tschüs!
I'll say goodbye until next time. Bye!

Caption 36, Jenny erklärt - Zeitintervalle

 Play Caption

Indeed, the preposition bis is most often translated as "until" when used in sentences about time. You have also likely seen von and bis zu (or ab and bis zu) used together to denote a timespan. Note the use of the dative.

Das zwölfte internationale Trickfilm-Festival in Wiesbaden

The Twelfth International Animation Festival in Wiesbaden

vom vierzehnten bis zum siebzehnten Oktober im Biebricher Schloss.

from the fourteenth until the seventeenth of October at the Biebrich Palace.

Captions 18-19, Internationales Trickfilmwochenende - im Biebricher Schloss

 Play Caption

In Deutschland haben Kinder ab dem Alter von drei Jahren bis zur Einschulung einen Anspruch auf...

Starting at the age of three until enrollment in school, children in Germany are entitled to...

Caption 20, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest

 Play Caption

When we speak about deadlines in English, we use the preposition "by." As it turns out, this is one of many instances in which "by" is not equivalent to bei. Indeed, bis and bis zum/zur are used to express this as well. 

und die Sturmschäden werden bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts um gut fünfzig Prozent zunehmen.

and the storm damages will increase by a good fifty percent by the end of the century.

Caption 20, Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft - Naturgefahrenreport

 Play Caption

Ob wir das schaffen bis zum Trainingslager, ist fraglich.

If we manage that in time for the training camp is questionable.

Caption 38, Fußball - Saisonpremiere

 Play Caption

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Further Learning
Any time you speak about a deadline in your German class or in a real-life situation, note the use of bis or use it yourself! Examples could include... Bis wann muss die Hausarbeit abgegeben werden? (in class), Bis wann müssen wir das Zimmer geräumt haben? (at a hotel), or Bis wann muss der Bericht fertig sein? (in a meeting).