victim / sacrifice
Loading your saved state.
victim
A person who suffers harm, is injured, or is killed as a result of a crime, accident, illness, or another negative event.
Die Opfer der Flutkatastrophe erhalten staatliche Hilfe.
The victims of the flood disaster are receiving government aid.
to make a sacrifice
The voluntary giving up of something important or valuable for the sake of a higher goal, another person, or a cause.
Für ihre Karriere hat sie große persönliche Opfer gebracht.
She made great personal sacrifices for her career.
sacrifice / offering
A gift, such as an animal, food, or valuables, that is offered to a deity in a religious ritual.
In antiken Kulturen war das Darbringen von Opfern ein zentraler Bestandteil der Religion.
In ancient cultures, making sacrifices was a central part of religion.
loser
A colloquial, derogatory insult for a person who is seen as weak, pitiful, or clumsy.
Hör auf, dich so anzustellen, du Opfer!
Stop making such a fuss, you loser!
Although the word is neuter ('das Opfer' — the victim), it can refer to people of any gender. So you can also say about a man 'Er ist das Opfer' (He is the victim) or about a woman 'Sie ist das Opfer' (She is the victim).
Der verletzte Radfahrer war das einzige Opfer des Unfalls.
The injured cyclist was the only victim of the accident.
The noun 'Opfer' (victim/sacrifice) is closely related to the verb 'opfern' (to sacrifice). 'Opfern' means to voluntarily give something up or to present a ritual offering.
Er opferte seine gesamte Freizeit für die Fertigstellung des Projekts.
He sacrificed all of his free time to complete the project.
In the meaning 'geschädigte Person' (harmed person/victim), 'Opfer' is often used with certain verbs and prepositions. Typical phrases are 'zum Opfer fallen' (to fall victim to), 'ein Opfer fordern' (to claim a victim), and 'Opfer von etwas werden' (to become a victim of something).
Viele Menschen fielen der Betrugsmasche zum Opfer.
Many people fell victim to the scam.
When it is about voluntarily giving something up, 'Opfer' almost always appears in the fixed expression 'ein Opfer bringen' (to make a sacrifice). The verb 'bringen' (to bring) is crucial here.
Für den Traum vom eigenen Haus mussten sie finanzielle Opfer bringen.
For the dream of owning their own house, they had to make financial sacrifices.
Using 'Opfer' (loser) as an insult is highly colloquial and derogatory. It is used especially in youth slang and is perceived as very offensive.
Er wird in der Schule gemobbt und als „Opfer“ beschimpft.
He is bullied at school and insulted as an 'Opfer' (loser).
prey / loot
When referring to a hunted animal, „Opfer“ can highlight the attack and death it suffers. „Beute“, by contrast, describes the same animal from the predator’s perspective as something it hunts, catches, and eats.
Das Reh wurde zum Opfer des hungrigen Wolfs.
The deer fell victim to the hungry wolf.
Der hungrige Wolf schleppte seine Beute in den Wald.
The hungry wolf dragged its prey into the forest.
