01
die Niederlage
defeat
Losing a fight, competition, game, or conflict.
example
Nach der unerwarteten Niederlage war die Enttäuschung im Team groß.
After the unexpected defeat, the disappointment in the team was great.
die Niederlage
defeat
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Niederlage' (defeat) comes from the verb 'niederlegen' (to lay down). The basic idea is that in battle, one lays down one's weapons and gives up. The prefix 'nieder-' means 'down'.
EXAMPLE
Die Soldaten mussten ihre Waffen niederlegen.
The soldiers had to lay down their weapons.
Typical verbs
A 'Niederlage' (defeat) is often not actively 'made', but passively experienced. Typical verbs are 'eine Niederlage erleiden' (to suffer a defeat) or 'eine Niederlage einstecken' (to take a defeat). If you defeat someone, you can 'eine Niederlage beibringen' (inflict a defeat on them).
EXAMPLE
Die Mannschaft musste eine schwere Niederlage einstecken.
The team had to take a heavy defeat.
Typical adjectives
To describe a 'Niederlage' (defeat) more precisely, certain adjectives are often used. Common examples are 'eine bittere Niederlage' (a bitter defeat), 'eine schwere Niederlage' (a heavy defeat), or 'eine knappe Niederlage' (a narrow defeat).
EXAMPLE
Es war eine knappe Niederlage mit nur einem Punkt Unterschied.
It was a narrow defeat by just one point.
Obsolete meaning
The meaning 'Zweigstelle' (branch office) or 'Warenlager' (warehouse) is obsolete. You will find it almost only in historical texts about trade and the economy from earlier centuries.
EXAMPLE
Im 18. Jahrhundert gründete die Handelsfirma eine Niederlage in Übersee.
In the 18th century, the trading company established a branch overseas.
Compare with
Niederlage vs Erfolg
success
'der Erfolg' and 'die Niederlage' are clear opposites. An 'Erfolg' means that something succeeds or that a goal is achieved. A 'Niederlage' means that you lose in a game, competition, or conflict. The words can be confused because both describe the outcome of a situation. The difference lies in the evaluation: 'Erfolg' is positive, 'Niederlage' is negative. Especially in sports, people often say 'Sieg' or 'Niederlage'; for general goals, 'Erfolg' or 'Misserfolg' is more common.
Niederlage
Die Niederlage im Finale war bitter, aber das Team gab nicht auf.
The defeat in the final was painful, but the team did not give up.
Erfolg
Nach langer Vorbereitung war die Präsentation für die ganze Klasse ein Erfolg.
After a long period of preparation, the presentation was a success for the whole class.
In real life
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