Abfallen

Abfallen is a German verb with several related senses centered on detachment, separation, or decline. Literally, it combines the prefix ab- with fallen and can mean to fall off or detach from a larger body, to peel or flake off, and, in a figurative sense, to decrease or drop off in quantity or quality. The term is common in everyday language as well as in technical and literary contexts.

Grammatical notes and forms: Abfallen is a separable-prefix verb. In main clauses, the prefix is separated: Der Ast fällt ab. In perfect tense the past participle is abgefallen and the auxiliary is typically sein: Der Ast ist abgefallen. The present and imperfect forms follow the regular conjugation pattern of fallen: ich falle ab, du fällst ab, er fällt ab, wir fallen ab, ihr fallt ab, sie fallen ab. The participle can also function adjectivally in compounds: abfallende Blätter (falling leaves).

Usage and examples: Physical detachment is common, as in Die Farbe fällt von der Wand ab und die Tapete fällt ab (the paint is peeling off the wall). Leaves or hair can also fall off: Die Blätter fallen im Herbst ab. Figurative use includes sales or interest fading: Die Nachfrage fällt dieses Jahr leicht ab. In contexts of wear or damage, parts can come off: Das Teil ist abgefallen, daher funktioniert es nicht mehr.

Nuance and related terms: Abfallen emphasizes separation from a whole or a state being reduced, rather than just failing to occur. Related verbs include fallen (to fall) and abfallen in contrast to ausfallen (to fall out, to fail, or to be canceled). Abfallen is widely understood in standard German and appears in both colloquial and formal registers.