to complain / to weigh down
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to complain
To express one's annoyance or dissatisfaction about something or someone, often to a responsible person or office.
Die Anwohner beschwerten sich bei der Stadt über den lauten Baulärm in der Nacht.
The residents complained to the city about the loud construction noise at night.
to weigh down
To place a weight on something so that it does not slip, blow away, or move.
Er beschwerte die Picknickdecke an den Ecken mit Steinen.
He weighed down the corners of the picnic blanket with stones.
Both meanings derive from the adjective “schwer” (heavy). “Etwas beschweren” (to weigh something down) literally means to make it “heavy.” “Sich beschweren” (to complain) is figurative: a problem is a burden that weighs “heavily,” and you express your annoyance about it.
Die schweren Kisten beschweren den kleinen Wagen zu sehr.
The heavy boxes weigh down the small cart too much.
The meaning depends on whether the verb is reflexive or not. “Sich beschweren” always means “to complain” or “to make a complaint.” Without “sich,” “beschweren” always means “to load something with a weight.”
Der Gast will sich über das kalte Essen beschweren.
The guest wants to complain about the cold food.
When complaining, two important prepositions are used: You complain “über” something (accusative) and “bei” someone (dative).
Er hat sich bei seinem Chef über die vielen Überstunden beschwert.
He complained to his boss about the many hours of overtime.
When you weigh something down, the weight is often introduced with the preposition “mit” (with). The structure is: accusative object + “mit” + dative object.
Sie beschwerte die Papiere auf dem Schreibtisch mit einem Buch.
She weighed down the papers on the desk with a book.
to burden / charge
Belasten and beschweren can both have to do with weight. Belasten describes more generally placing a load on something, while beschweren emphasizes deliberately placing a weight on it so that it does not slip or blow away. Choose the word according to this intention.
Wir beschwerten die Plane mit Steinen, damit sie im Wind nicht wegflog.
We weighed down the tarp with stones so that it would not blow away in the wind.
Der schwere Schnee belastet das Dach des alten Hauses.
The heavy snow is putting a strain on the roof of the old house.
