verpassen
Translation
to miss, to miss out on, to give (e.g., a slap)
Examples
Ich habe den Zug verpasst.
I missed the train.
Du hast eine tolle Gelegenheit verpasst.
You missed a great opportunity.
Er hat ihm eine Lektion verpasst.
He taught him a lesson.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to miss (sth.) I missed the bus.
((sb.dat)) ((sth.acc)) to give (sth.) to (sb.) The teacher gave him a bad grade.
Similar Words
Synonyms: versäumen; Antonyms: erwischen, erreichen
Etymology
Prefix 'ver-' (indicating something going wrong) + 'passen' (to fit). It no longer 'fits' the schedule, so you miss it.
Memory Tips
Think of 'passing' the train, but 'ver-' indicates you did it wrong, so you 'missed' it.