threatened / endangered
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threatened / endangered
To be in a situation of danger or to be seriously at risk from something negative, such as extinction or an attack.
Viele seltene Tierarten sind vom Aussterben bedroht.
Many rare animal species are threatened with extinction.
The word 'bedroht' (threatened/endangered) is the past participle of the verb 'bedrohen' (to threaten). It is used as an adjective to describe a state that someone or something is in.
Die bedrohte Bärenpopulation wird von Rangern geschützt.
The threatened bear population is being protected by rangers.
To name the source of the danger, you use the preposition 'von' followed by the dative. The structure is: subject + sein + von + dative + bedroht.
Der kleine Vogel ist von der Katze bedroht.
The small bird is threatened by the cat.
The phrase 'vom Aussterben bedroht' (threatened with extinction) is very common for animal and plant species. The word is also often used for abstract things such as 'Arbeitsplätze' (jobs), 'der Frieden' (peace), or 'die Demokratie' (democracy).
Der Lebensraum vieler Fische ist durch die Wasserverschmutzung bedroht.
The habitat of many fish is threatened by water pollution.
endangered / at risk
Both words describe a person or thing that could be harmed by a danger. „Bedroht“ tends to emphasize a specific impending threat or attack, whereas „gefährdet“ refers more generally to the existing possibility of harm. Use „bedroht“ when there is a recognizable threat and „gefährdet“ when there is a risk.
Das Dorf ist durch den bewaffneten Angriff unmittelbar bedroht.
The village is under immediate threat from the armed attack.
Das Dorf ist wegen des starken Regens durch Überschwemmungen gefährdet.
The village is at risk of flooding because of the heavy rain.
