fortlaufen

Fortlaufen is a German verb meaning to run away, to flee, or to take off. It is a separable prefix verb formed from fort- (away, forth) and laufen (to run). In finite tenses the prefix is separated in main clauses: Es läuft fort. Er läuft fort. In the simple past the form is expressed with liefen: Er lief fort. In the perfect tense the past participle is fortgelaufen, as in Sie ist fortgelaufen.

Usage and nuances: Fortlaufen describes the act of leaving a place by running, typically by a person or an animal. It conveys a rapid or abrupt departure from a scene. In everyday speech it is less common than synonyms such as weglaufen or davonlaufen, which are broader and often more colloquial. Fortlaufen is more likely to appear in narrative or descriptive writing and can carry a neutral to slightly literary tone.

Examples of use: Der Hund ist durch das Tor fortgelaufen. Die Kinder liefen fort, als der Regen begann. In formal narration one might write: Der Täter lief fort und verschwand in der Menge; später war er fortgelaufen.

Related terms: Fortlaufen is distinct from Fortlauf (noun), which means a continuous progression or sequence and has a very different meaning and usage. Both terms share the same root fort-, but they belong to different grammatical categories and contexts.