to sabotage
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to sabotage
To deliberately disrupt, damage, or destroy something in order to hinder or prevent a process, action, or function. This often happens secretly or for political, military, or personal motives.
Die feindlichen Agenten versuchten, die wichtige Versorgungsbrücke zu sabotieren.
The enemy agents tried to sabotage the important supply bridge.
'Sabotieren' (to sabotage) is a verb ending in '-ieren'. These verbs are regular and form the past participle without 'ge-'. So it is 'hat sabotiert' (has sabotaged).
Jemand hat die Bremsen des Fahrrads sabotiert.
Someone sabotaged the bicycle's brakes.
The verb 'sabotieren' (to sabotage) is transitive and always needs an accusative object. You ask: Whom or what is being sabotaged?
Die Gruppe wollte den Bau des neuen Kraftwerks sabotieren.
The group wanted to sabotage the construction of the new power plant.
In the literal meaning, the objects are often technical facilities or processes. Typical examples are: 'eine Maschine sabotieren' (to sabotage a machine), 'die Produktion sabotieren' (to sabotage production), or 'eine Operation sabotieren' (to sabotage an operation).
Der Spion sollte die Computer-Systeme des Feindes sabotieren.
The spy was supposed to sabotage the enemy's computer systems.
You can recognize the figurative meaning when the object is abstract. In that case, one sabotages 'Pläne' (plans), 'Bemühungen' (efforts), 'eine Beziehung' (a relationship), or 'eine Diät' (a diet).
Mit diesem ungesunden Essen sabotierst du deine ganze Diät.
With this unhealthy food, you're sabotaging your whole diet.
The reflexive expression 'sich selbst sabotieren' (to sabotage oneself) is very common. It means that someone prevents their own success through their own behavior.
Durch seine ständige Prokrastination sabotiert er sich nur selbst.
Through his constant procrastination, he is only sabotaging himself.
to support
'unterstützen' and 'sabotieren' describe opposite kinds of behavior. Someone who supports a person or a plan helps so that something succeeds. Someone who sabotages something deliberately disrupts it so that it does not work or fails. 'sabotieren' sounds strong and negative because the action is deliberately directed against a person, a process, or a goal. So 'unterstützen' means to cooperate or help, while 'sabotieren' means to deliberately obstruct.
Ein Mitarbeiter sabotiert das Projekt, weil er wichtige Daten absichtlich zurückhält.
An employee is sabotaging the project because he is deliberately withholding important data.
Beim Termin hat mich meine Kollegin mit klaren Informationen unterstützt.
At the appointment, my colleague supported me with clear information.