Polyglot Dictionary

ertränken

/ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɛŋkn̩/

verb C1

der (masc.) die (fem.) das (neut.)

Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.

V Register Neutral Era Current Frequency Academic Domain General Tone Neutral

Forms

present
ertränkt
past
ertränkte
perfect
hat ertränkt

Meaning

  1. to drown (someone)

    Built from er- ((to death)) + tränken (to give to drink).

    • Er wollte seinen Kummer im Wein ertränken.

      He wanted to drown his sorrows in wine.

    • Die Katze wurde fast ertränkt, aber die Kinder retteten sie. Sie war klatschnass und zitterte.

      The cat was almost drowned but the children rescued it. It was soaking wet and trembling.

V Category Action Concreteness Concrete Agency Involuntary Duration Durative Transitivity Transitive

Made of

  • er- (to death)
  • tränken to give to drink

Similar words

ertrinken

ertrinken means to drown, intransitive — to die by drowning; ertränken means to drown someone or something, transitive — to cause them to drown.

Practice

1 What does ertränken mean?

2 Fill the gap: Er wollte seinen Kummer im Wein ___.

3 Which fingerprint chart matches ertränken?

verbinseparablecompound

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