Offenlassen

Offenlassen is a German verb meaning to leave open, to leave unresolved, or to keep something unspecified. It is formed from the adjective offen (open) and the verb lassen (to let, to leave). The term is usually treated as a separable-prefix verb; in present tense, the form is ich lasse die Tür offen, and in perfect tense it is ich habe die Tür offen gelassen. In subordinate clauses the structure follows the same pattern.

Common usages include both concrete and abstract senses. Physically, one might say die Tür offenlassen (to leave the door open) or das Fenster offenlassen (to leave the window open). Abstractly, it can describe leaving a matter unresolved or a question unanswered, as in eine Frage offenlassen or eine Option offenlassen. In design, planning, and negotiations, Offenlassen can refer to keeping details flexible or leaving certain choices available for later.

In discourse, Offenlassen often signals intentional ambiguity or openness to interpretation, as in literary or philosophical contexts where an issue is not definitively settled. The noun form das Offenlassen exists but is relatively rare; it denotes the act or process of leaving something open or unresolved.

Related terms include offen (open), die Offenheit (openness), and lassen (to allow or leave). The concept is widely used across everyday language, formal writing, and planning discussions to indicate that a state or decision remains not fixed.