ichidan verb, intransitive verb
General parting of people; can be temporary or permanent. Often used with と or に to indicate the person being parted from.
駅で友達と別れた。
I parted from my friend at the station.
彼は家族と別れて一人で
He lives alone, separated from his family.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
Specifically for romantic couples ending their relationship. 離婚する is more formal for divorce, but 別れる is common in everyday speech.
彼氏と別れたばかりで、まだ落ち込んでいる。
I just broke up with my boyfriend and I'm still feeling down.
あの二人は結婚してすぐ別れたらしい。
I heard those two got divorced soon after getting married.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
lose (a loved one); be bereaved of
Euphemistic use for death, often with ～に別れる. Implies a permanent separation through loss.
彼は幼い頃に両親に別れた。
He lost his parents when he was young.
最愛の妻に別れてから、彼はすっかり変わってしまった。
After losing his beloved wife, he changed completely.