Verläuft

Verläuft is the third-person singular present tense of the German verb verlaufen. The verb has several related meanings that center on a path, course, or progression. In the literal sense, verlaufen means to run or extend along a route or through an area. For example: Der Fluss verläuft durch das Tal. The river runs through the valley. Der Weg verläuft entlang des Flusses. The path runs along the river.

In a figurative sense, verlaufen can describe how events or processes develop over time. For example: Der Verlauf der Sitzung verläuft planmäßig. The course of the meeting is proceeding as planned. The noun Verlauf is related and means course or progression: der Verlauf des Projekts.

A reflexive form, sich verlaufen, means to get lost, especially while walking or navigating. Example: Wir haben uns im Wald verlaufen. We got lost in the forest.

Etymology and usage notes: verlaufen comes from laufen with the prefix ver-. The prefix adds nuance of passage or development rather than a separate action. The form verlaufen is common in geography, travel writing, science, and everyday speech, and it is conjugated like other verbs with the same prefix.

See also: Verlauf, sich verlaufen, verlaufen (to run through a route).