Depart vs Leave

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Depart

Top 2,000 (common) B2 verb

Leave

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 verb

Most common: Leave

	Depart	Leave
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //dɪˈpɑːt// 🇺🇸 //dɪˈpɑrt//	🇬🇧 /["/liːv/","/liːvz/","/left/","/ˈliːvɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/liːv/","/liːvz/","/left/","/ˈliːvɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	To leave a place	to go away from a place
Example	The train will depart from platform 5 at 3 PM.	I will leave the house at 8 AM.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	A1
Part of speech	verb	verb
Collocations	depart from the norm, depart for a destination, depart on schedule	decide to, intend to, plan to, for, decide to, intend to, plan to, for, decide to, intend to, plan to, for
Antonyms	arrive, stay, remain	arrive, stay
Common mistakes	Using 'depart' with 'from' instead of just the destination, Confusing it with 'leave', Not using it in the correct tense	Confused with 'leave' as in 'not taking something' vs 'leave' meaning to depart., Using 'leave' without an object when the sentence requires one, e.g., 'leave the party.', Mixing up 'leave' with 'let' in phrases.
Usage notes	Use 'depart' in formal contexts or travel-related discussions. Less common in casual dialogue.	Use 'leave' when departing from a location or letting go of something. Avoid in very formal writing where terms like 'depart' might be preferred.

See it in real clips

How I Met Your Mother › S1 E1

You have to swear that this does not leave this cab.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Major Horton is on leave in London.

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

He'd have to leave me.

How I Met Your Mother › S1 E1

You have to swear that this does not leave this cab.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Major Horton is on leave in London.

Leave

Frequently asked questions: Depart vs Leave

What's the difference between Depart and Leave?

Depart: To leave a place Leave: to go away from a place

Which is more common: Depart and Leave?

Leave is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Depart and Leave?

Depart is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Depart and Leave the same CEFR level?

Depart: B2, Leave: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Depart and Leave?

Depart: verb, Leave: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Depart: The train will depart from platform 5 at 3 PM. Leave: I will leave the house at 8 AM.

Can I use Depart and Leave interchangeably?

Not always. Depart and Leave are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.