Entkommen

Entkommen is a German verb meaning to escape or get away, especially from danger, pursuit, or confinement. It can refer to physical escape as well as figurative relief from a difficult situation. The term is built from the verb kommen with the prefix ent-, which conveys a sense of departure or withdrawal.

Etymology and usage notes: The prefix ent- forms many German verbs and often indicates a movement away or outward. Entkommen is used with various contexts, typically describing that someone or something has eluded captors, danger, or a restrictive situation. The phrase can be followed by the thing escaped from in the dative (for example, jemandem entkommen, dem Feind entkommen, aus dem Gefängnis entkommen) or by aus + dative to specify escaping from inside a place (aus dem Gefängnis entkommen). In many cases the sense is that the escape proves successful against pursuit or threat.

Grammar and conjugation: Entkommen is an intransitive verb that forms its perfect with the auxiliary sein: Er ist entkommen. Its simple past is entkam (ich entkam, er entkam) and entkamen for wir/sie. The verb behaves similarly to other kommen-family verbs, with the typical present tense forms such as ich entkomme, du entkommst, er entkommt, wir entkommen, ihr entkommt, sie entkommen.

Examples:

- Der Gefangene ist entkommen.

- Der Dieb ist der Polizei entkommen.

- Er konnte dem Feuer entkommen.

See also: synonyms and related verbs such as fliehen (to flee) or entfliehen; related compound forms using ent- with kommen.