victim / sacrifice
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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.
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).
perpetrator / culprit
'das Opfer' and 'der Täter' often belong to the same situation, for example a crime or an accident involving blame. But they refer to opposite roles. 'das Opfer' is the person who suffers harm. 'der Täter' is the person who committed the act. Learners may confuse the words because both often appear together in police reports or the news. The important question is: Who did something bad? That is the 'Täter'. Who was harmed? That is the 'Opfer'.
Das Opfer wurde nach dem Unfall sofort ins Krankenhaus gebracht.
The victim was taken to the hospital immediately after the accident.
Die Polizei sucht den Täter, der das Fahrrad gestohlen hat.
The police are looking for the perpetrator who stole the bicycle.