freisetzen

Freisetzen is a German verb that means to release, to set free, or to discharge something that has been confined or restrained. It can refer to freeing people or animals, but is also widely used for non-living things such as substances, energy, or information. The verb is separable in many tenses; for example, in the present tense one can say, “Die Explosion setzt Energie frei,” and in the perfect tense “Die Energie ist freigesetzt worden” or “Die Energie wurde freigesetzt.”

The related noun Freisetzung (release) is used to describe the act or process of releasing something. It is common in scientific, environmental, and technical contexts, for example “die Freisetzung von Schadstoffen in die Umwelt” or “die Freisetzung von Energie während einer Reaktion.” In pharmacology and materials science, Freisetzung also denotes how a substance is liberated from a dosage form or a composite material, with terms like Freisetzungskinetik or Freisetzungsrate.

Context and nuance are important. Freisetzen often emphasizes the act of letting something go or allow its presence to emerge, whereas befreien (to liberate) is more typical when a person or animal is released from captivity or oppression. In everyday German, freisetzen can describe natural or technical processes (energy, gases, neurotransmitters) as well as operational releases (dissolving a constraint, removing a barrier).

Examples include: “Die Reaktion setzt Wärme und Licht frei,” “Neurotransmitter werden an der Synapse freigesetzt,” and “Die Freisetzung von CO2 wurde reduziert.” Freisetzung and Freisetzungsgrad are common technical terms in science and engineering.