Breakdown of Ich verpasse den Anschluss.
ich
I
den
the; (masculine, accusative)
verpassen
to miss
der Anschluss
the connection
Questions & Answers about Ich verpasse den Anschluss.
What exactly does verpassen mean here, and how is it different from other German verbs for to miss?
verpassen means to miss (something that you were supposed to catch or take part in), like a train, bus, opportunity, show, deadline, etc.
Common contrasts:
- verpassen – to miss an event/chance/connection:
- Ich verpasse den Anschluss. = I miss the connection.
- Ich habe die Sendung verpasst. = I missed the show.
- vermissen – to miss someone/something emotionally:
- Ich vermisse dich. = I miss you (emotionally).
- verlieren – to lose (an object, a game, etc.):
- Ich verliere meinen Schlüssel. = I lose my key.
So for a train/bus/flight connection, you need verpassen, not vermissen or verlieren.
Why is it den Anschluss and not der Anschluss?
Der Anschluss is the basic (nominative) form:
- Der Anschluss ist wichtig. = The connection is important.
In Ich verpasse den Anschluss, den Anschluss is the direct object of the verb verpassen, so it must be in the accusative case.
For masculine nouns with the article der, the accusative form is den:
- Nominative: der Anschluss
- Accusative: den Anschluss
So den Anschluss is required here because it is what you are missing.
What gender is Anschluss, and how does it decline?