to deny / cover / contest
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to deny
To state that something is not true or not accurate; to deny or reject something.
Der Angeklagte bestreitet, zur Tatzeit am Tatort gewesen zu sein.
The defendant denies having been at the scene of the crime at the time of the offense.
to cover
To provide the financial means for something; to cover the costs of something. Often used in the expression 'seinen Lebensunterhalt bestreiten' (to make/cover one's living).
Mit ihrem Teilzeitjob kann sie kaum ihren Lebensunterhalt bestreiten.
With her part-time job, she can hardly cover her living expenses.
to contest
To take part in a competition, a game, or a confrontation.
Die Nationalmannschaft wird morgen ihr erstes Spiel bei der Weltmeisterschaft bestreiten.
The national team will contest its first match at the World Cup tomorrow.
to deny someone something
To deny someone a right, a claim, or an ability; to doubt that someone rightfully has or can do something.
Niemand kann ihm das Recht bestreiten, seine eigene Meinung zu äußern.
No one can deny him the right to express his own opinion.
'Bestreiten' (to deny/cover/contest) is an inseparable verb because it begins with the prefix 'be-'. The prefix remains firmly attached to the verb 'streiten' (to argue/fight) in all tenses and sentence types.
Er bestritt alle Vorwürfe, die gegen ihn erhoben wurden.
He denied all the accusations made against him.
The different meanings of 'bestreiten' can be recognized by the object: you 'bestreitet eine Behauptung' (deny a claim), 'seinen Lebensunterhalt' (cover one's living expenses), or 'einen Wettkampf' (contest/take part in a competition).
Sie bestreitet, davon gewusst zu haben.
She denies having known about it.
When you deny an action, you can use 'bestreiten' (to deny) with a 'dass' clause or an infinitive construction with 'zu'. Both structures are very common.
Der Politiker bestreitet, dass er das Dokument gesehen hat.
The politician denies that he saw the document.
In the meaning 'finanzieren' (to finance), 'bestreiten' (to cover) is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'seinen Lebensunterhalt bestreiten' (to make/cover one's living).
Es ist für viele Studenten schwer, nur mit einem Nebenjob ihren Lebensunterhalt zu bestreiten.
For many students, it is hard to cover their living expenses with only a part-time job.
The use of 'bestreiten' (to contest) for taking part in a competition is especially typical of the language of sports and journalism.
Der Boxer hat in seiner Karriere über 50 Kämpfe bestritten.
The boxer has contested over 50 fights in his career.
When you deny someone a right or an ability, 'bestreiten' (to deny) needs a person in the dative and the thing in the accusative. The structure is: jemandem (dative) etwas (accusative) bestreiten.
Man kann ihr nicht bestreiten, dass sie sehr talentiert ist.
One cannot deny that she is very talented.
to finance
Finanzieren generally emphasizes that money is provided for a project and indicates where it comes from. Bestreiten focuses more strongly on raising and paying the resulting expenses. Bestreiten is especially common with living expenses or specific costs.
Aus eigenen Ersparnissen bestreitet die Familie die Ausbildungskosten ihrer Tochter.
The family is covering their daughter’s education costs from their own savings.
Aus eigenen Ersparnissen finanziert die Familie die Ausbildung ihrer Tochter.
The family is financing their daughter’s education from their own savings.
