den Flug verpassen
To miss the flight
Littéralement: the flight to miss
Use this phrase literally when you are late and the plane leaves without you.
En 15 secondes
- 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'.
Signification
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.
Exemples clés
3 sur 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.
Contexte culturel
In Germany, punctuality is highly valued, and missing a scheduled departure is often viewed with a mix of sympathy and a lecture on leaving earlier. Interestingly, while German trains (DB) are famous for delays, the phrase remains a staple of travel-related complaints and insurance claims.
Don't 'vermissen' your flight!
If you say 'Ich vermisse meinen Flug,' Germans will think you are romantically in love with the airplane. Use 'verpassen' for missing a scheduled event.
The 'Pünktlichkeit' Factor
Germans arrive at the airport very early. If you miss a flight, don't expect much sympathy if you only arrived 30 minutes before departure!
En 15 secondes
- 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.
Notes d'usage
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'.
Don't 'vermissen' your flight!
If you say 'Ich vermisse meinen Flug,' Germans will think you are romantically in love with the airplane. Use 'verpassen' for missing a scheduled event.
The 'Pünktlichkeit' Factor
Germans arrive at the airport very early. If you miss a flight, don't expect much sympathy if you only arrived 30 minutes before departure!
The 'Anschluss' Trick
If you miss a connecting flight, use 'den Anschlussflug verpassen'. It sounds more specific and helps the airline staff understand your problem.
Exemples
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-toi
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb.
Gestern ___ er leider seinen Flug nach Berlin ___.
In German, 'verpassen' uses 'haben' in the perfect tense. 'Vermisst' would mean he longed for the flight emotionally.
Choose the correct noun to complete the travel phrase.
Wenn der Stau zu lang ist, werden wir den ___ verpassen.
You miss the 'Flug' (flight), not the 'Flughafen' (airport) or 'Fliegen' (the act of flying).
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'den Flug verpassen'
Texting a friend about a mistake.
Flug verpasst, sorry!
Standard conversation or explanation.
Ich habe den Flug verpasst.
Explaining to a boss or airline staff.
Ich habe leider meinen Flug verpasst.
When to say 'den Flug verpassen'
At the Gate
The doors are closed.
In a Taxi
Stuck in heavy traffic.
On the Phone
Calling your spouse to explain.
At the Hotel
Overslept the alarm.
Questions fréquentes
11 questionsVerpassen is for missing a train, flight, or opportunity. Vermissen is for missing a person or feeling an emotional loss, like Ich vermisse dich (I miss you).
Yes! You can say den Bus verpassen or den Zug verpassen. It works for almost any scheduled transportation.
It is neutral. You can use it with your friends, your boss, or the airline staff without changing the words.
You say Ich habe meinen Flug verpasst. Remember that verpassen is a regular verb that takes haben.
You can add unverschuldet (not through one's own fault), but usually, you just explain the reason, like wegen der Bahn (because of the train).
Yes, you can say einen Termin verpassen or eine Besprechung verpassen if you didn't attend it because you were late.
Usually, yes. You need to say what you missed, like den Flug, den Zug, or die Show.
The opposite is den Flug erwischen (to catch the flight) or simply pünktlich sein (to be on time).
Not really a slang version, but people might say verpeilt if they missed it because they were disorganized or confused.
Yes, you can say den Film verpassen or den Anfang verpassen (miss the beginning).
It is den Flug because verpassen takes the accusative case. Flug is masculine, so der becomes den.
Expressions liées
den Zug verpassen
to miss the train
den Anschluss verpassen
to miss the connection
zu spät kommen
to arrive late
eine Gelegenheit verpassen
to miss an opportunity
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