to quantify / number
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to quantify
To state or estimate a value, sum, or number in figures. Often used in connection with costs, damages, or quantities.
Die Experten beziffern den durch das Hochwasser entstandenen Schaden auf über eine Milliarde Euro.
The experts quantify the damage caused by the flood at over one billion euros.
to number
To mark something with digits or numbers, for example numbering the pages of a book. This meaning is rare today.
Der Archivar musste die neu gefundenen Dokumente sorgfältig beziffern.
The archivist had to carefully number the newly found documents.
The verb 'beziffern' (to quantify/number) is derived from the noun 'die Ziffer' (digit/number). The prefix 'be-' indicates that an action is applied to something — here, something is provided with a number.
Es ist schwer, den emotionalen Wert dieses alten Fotos zu beziffern.
It is hard to quantify the emotional value of this old photo.
In its most common meaning, 'beziffern' (to quantify) is almost always used with the preposition 'auf' followed by an accusative (the amount of money or number). The structure is: 'etwas auf [Zahl] beziffern' (to quantify something at [number/amount]).
Die Polizei beziffert die Zahl der Demonstranten auf rund 10.000.
The police quantify the number of demonstrators at around 10,000.
This verb is often used to express negative or hard-to-measure things in numbers. Typical objects are 'den Schaden' (the damage), 'die Kosten' (the costs), 'den Verlust' (the loss), or 'die Anzahl' (the number).
Das Unternehmen konnte den genauen Verlust noch nicht beziffern.
The company was not yet able to quantify the exact loss.
'Beziffern' (to quantify) is a formal word typically found in news reports, official reports, or business language. It is rarely used in normal everyday speech.
In dem Bericht wird der wirtschaftliche Schaden auf mehrere Millionen beziffert.
In the report, the economic damage is quantified at several million.
The meaning 'etwas mit Nummern versehen' (to mark something with numbers) is very rare today and is found almost only in specialized contexts such as archives or libraries when numbering documents or pages.
Der Historiker musste jede Seite des Manuskripts einzeln beziffern.
The historian had to number each page of the manuscript individually.
to estimate / appreciate
Both schätzen and beziffern can be used to give an approximate number. Schätzen emphasizes that the value is only an estimate, while beziffern places more emphasis on stating a specific number and is often used with costs or damages. Use schätzen for the estimation and beziffern for the stated sum.
Der Gutachter beziffert den Schaden auf etwa 10 000 Euro.
The appraiser puts the damage at around 10,000 euros.
Der Gutachter schätzt den Schaden auf etwa 10 000 Euro.
The appraiser estimates the damage at around 10,000 euros.
