festlegen

determine

verb FEST-lay-gen Less Common

Origin: compound of fest ('firm') + legen ('to lay')

Also means

set

Usage Note

festlegen is separable and literally means 'to lay down firmly', hence 'to fix or stipulate', as in einen Termin festlegen ('to set an appointment'). The reflexive sich festlegen means 'to commit oneself' to a decision.

Examples

"Wir legen den Termin morgen fest."

Natural Translation

We'll set the date tomorrow.

Literal Translation

We lay the date tomorrow down.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

Der, Die, Das: Rules to Guess German Gender

German noun gender rules made simple: check the suffix first, then meaning. Endings like -ung, -chen, and -ling predict der, die, or das with ~90% accuracy.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Du vs. Sie: When to Use Each in German

Use Sie with strangers, elders, and at work; use du with friends, family, kids, and peers. Here's how to pick the right German you every time.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Weil vs Denn vs Da: "Because" in German

Weil and da send the verb to the end; denn keeps it in second position. Here's how to pick the right German "because" and place the verb correctly.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Separable Verbs: When the Prefix Splits

German separable verbs split in two: the verb stays near the front and the prefix flies to the end. Learn the stress test and where every piece goes.

June 5, 2026 5 min read