abfliegen

Abfliegen is a German verb meaning to take off or depart by air. It is used for aircraft departing from a point such as an airport or airfield. The term is typically not used for ground transportation; for trains or cars, verbs like abfahren or absetzen are used depending on the context.

Grammatically, abfliegen is a separable prefix verb. In the present tense the prefix separates, as in Der Flieger fliegt um 8 Uhr ab. In the Perfect tense the auxiliary is sein, and the past participle is abgeflogen, for example Der Flug ist abgeflogen.

Etymology and nuance: The prefix ab- signals departure or removal, combined with fliegen (to fly). The related noun Abflug denotes departure by air, and compounds such as Abflugort (departure airport) and Abflüge (departures) are common. Abfliegen is specifically tied to air travel; for land-based departures the word abfahren is used, while abheben refers to the act of lifting off from the ground and is often used in technical or aviation contexts.

Examples: Der Flug fliegt heute um 14:30 Uhr ab. Der Flug ist um 14:30 Uhr abgeflogen. In everyday travel schedules, Abflugzeiten and Abflugorte are standard terms to describe when and where a flight departs.

---