don’t
The German verb unterlassen means to refrain from doing something, to omit or to neglect.
verb
Meaning: to refrain
Er sollte das Rauchen unterlassen.
He should refrain from smoking.
Meaning: to omit
Bitte unterlassen Sie es, persönliche Informationen preiszugeben.
Please omit disclosing personal information.
Meaning: to neglect
Der Arzt hat es versäumt, die Symptome zu erkennen und zu behandeln.
The doctor neglected to recognize and treat the symptoms.
Meaning: to cease
Die Regierung muss die Verletzung der Menschenrechte sofort unterlassen.
The government must cease the violation of human rights immediately.
A1: Ich habe es unterlassen, ihm zu antworten.
A1: I omitted to answer him.
A1: Bitte unterlasse das Rauchen in diesem Raum.
A1: Please refrain from smoking in this room.
A1: Er hat es unterlassen, mir Bescheid zu sagen.
A1: He failed to let me know.
B1: Wenn du so weitermachst, werde ich nicht länger deine Fehler unterlassen.
B1: If you continue like this, I will no longer overlook your mistakes.
B2: Sie hätte den Anruf unterlassen sollen, um ihn nicht zu stören.
B2: She should have refrained from calling to not disturb him.
B2: Wir werden es nicht unterlassen, gegen diese Ungerechtigkeit zu kämpfen.
B2: We will not fail to fight against this injustice.
C1: Nachdem er die Konsequenzen bedacht hatte, entschied er sich bewusst dafür, seine Kritik zu unterlassen.
C1: After considering the consequences, he consciously chose to withhold his criticism.
C1: Die Zeugen wurden aufgefordert, nichts auszulassen und keine Details bei ihrer Aussage zu unterlassen.
C1: The witnesses were instructed not to omit anything and not to leave out any details in their statement.
C2: Es ist unverantwortlich, dass die Regierung es unterlassen hat, rechtzeitig Maßnahmen zu ergreifen.
C2: It is irresponsible that the government failed to take timely action.
Unterlassen is a common verb in the German language and can be used in various contexts. It is often used in legal language to describe the act of refraining from doing something that is required by law. For example, if someone fails to pay their taxes, they have unterlassen their duty as a citizen. In this context, unterlassen can have serious consequences and may result in fines or legal action.
In everyday language, unterlassen can also be used to describe situations where someone omits or neglects to do something that they should have done. For instance, if someone forgets to lock their front door before leaving the house, they have unterlassen an important task. Similarly, if someone fails to respond to an email or text message, they have unterlassen their obligation to communicate with others.
It is important to note that unterlassen is often used in negative contexts and can imply a sense of wrongdoing or negligence. However, it can also be used in a positive way to describe situations where someone deliberately refrains from doing something for ethical or moral reasons. For example, if someone chooses not to participate in an activity that goes against their beliefs, they are unterlassing their involvement.