to compensate
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to compensate
To balance out a disadvantage, deficiency, or negative effect through another achievement or advantage.
Er versuchte, seine mangelnde Erfahrung durch besonderen Fleiß zu kompensieren.
He tried to compensate for his lack of experience with exceptional diligence.
The verb 'kompensieren' (to compensate) is typically used with two fixed patterns. To balance out a deficiency, you use 'etwas durch etwas kompensieren' (to compensate for something with something). To compensate someone, it is 'jemanden für etwas kompensieren' (to compensate someone for something).
Sie kompensiert ihre geringe Körpergröße durch enorme Sprungkraft.
She compensates for her short stature with enormous jumping power.
'Kompensieren' (to compensate) belongs to educated and written language. It sounds more formal and is often used in official, economic, or scientific contexts.
Die Regierung plant, die finanziellen Ausfälle durch neue Steuern zu kompensieren.
The government plans to compensate for the financial losses through new taxes.
In the meaning 'ausgleichen' (to balance out), 'kompensieren' (to compensate) is often used with abstract disadvantages. Common combinations are: 'einen Mangel kompensieren' (to compensate for a deficiency), 'eine Schwäche kompensieren' (to compensate for a weakness), or 'Verluste kompensieren' (to compensate for losses).
Der Sportler konnte seine technischen Schwächen durch große Ausdauer kompensieren.
The athlete was able to compensate for his technical weaknesses with great endurance.
to replace / reimburse
'ersetzen' and 'kompensieren' can both have to do with compensation or balancing something out. 'ersetzen' is often used when a concrete damage, loss, or expense is paid for or compensated. 'kompensieren' sounds somewhat more formal and more generally means that a disadvantage, deficiency, or damage is balanced out by something else. Learners may confuse the words because both can sometimes mean 'to make up for' something. As a practical rule: when money is paid for damage, 'ersetzen' or 'kompensieren' often fits. When a disadvantage is balanced out by a strength, 'kompensieren' is more natural.
Mit viel Erfahrung konnte sie ihre fehlende Ausbildung kompensieren.
With a lot of experience, she was able to compensate for her lack of formal training.
Die Versicherung ersetzt den Schaden am Fahrrad.
The insurance company reimburses the damage to the bicycle.