German edit

Etymology edit

ver- (a common verbal prefix) +‎ brennen (to burn). Compare Old High German firbrinnan, English forburn.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /fɛɐ̯ˈbʁɛnən/
  • (file)

Verb edit

verbrennen (irregular weak, third-person singular present verbrennt, past tense verbrannte, past participle verbrannt, past subjunctive verbrennte, auxiliary haben or sein)

  1. (transitive) to burn (to cause to be consumed by fire or flames), to incinerate, to combust [auxiliary haben]
    Das Feuer war verheerend, da nahezu jede Pflanze im Feuer verbrannte.The fire was devastating because nearly every plant was consumed by the flames.
  2. (transitive, reflexive, medicine) to burn oneself, to suffer a burning [auxiliary haben]
    sich den Arm verbrennento burn one's arm
    Neugierige Katzen verbrennen sich die Tatzen.Curiosity killed the cat.
  3. (transitive, military) to scorch [auxiliary haben]
    die Taktik der verbrannten Erdethe tactic of scorched earth
  4. (transitive, reflexive) to burn (to hurt the mouth by an overdose of spices) [auxiliary haben]
    • 2010, Der Spiegel[1], number 28/2010, page 98:
      Freunde exotischer Gerichte verbrennen sich mitunter gehörig den Mund, weil sie die Schärfe falsch einschätzen.
      Friends of exotic dishes now and then awfully burn their mouth, because they misjudge the spiciness.
  5. (intransitive) to be burned [auxiliary sein]
    Meine Hände waren vom Feuer verbrannt.
    My hands were burnt by the fire.

Conjugation edit

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit