töten
to kill
To take the life of a living being (human or animal); to cause it to die.
EXAMPLE
Das Gift der Schlange kann einen Menschen innerhalb von Stunden töten.
The snake's venom can kill a person within hours.
töten
to kill
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Meanings
töten
to kill
To destroy something abstract, such as a mood, a hope, or love.
EXAMPLE
Seine unbedachte Äußerung hat die romantische Stimmung des Abends getötet.
His careless remark killed the romantic mood of the evening.
die Zeit totschlagen
to kill time
To occupy yourself with something unimportant in order to pass a waiting period. The expression is 'die Zeit totschlagen' (to kill time), but 'töten' is sometimes used synonymously.
EXAMPLE
Um die Zeit bis zum Abflug zu töten, las er eine Zeitschrift.
To kill time until the departure, he read a magazine.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'töten' (to kill) is directly related to the noun 'der Tod' (death) and the adjective 'tot' (dead). All three words belong to the same root and have a clear meaning relationship.
EXAMPLE
Der Sturz vom Baum war fast sein Tod.
The fall from the tree was almost his death.
Metaphorical use
In a figurative sense, 'töten' (to kill) can also mean to destroy something abstract. Common objects are then feelings or atmospheres, such as 'die Stimmung' (the mood), 'die Hoffnung' (the hope), or 'die Langeweile' (the boredom).
EXAMPLE
Sein lauter Anruf hat die ganze Konzentration im Raum getötet.
His loud phone call killed all the concentration in the room.
Fixed expression
The fixed idiom is 'die Zeit totschlagen' (to kill time). It means to occupy yourself with something unimportant in order to pass a waiting period. Sometimes 'töten' (to kill) is also used in this sense.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe am Bahnhof zwei Stunden die Zeit totgeschlagen.
I killed two hours of time at the train station.
Compare with
töten vs zerstören
to destroy
Zerstören and töten can both express bringing an end to a hope, mood, or love. Zerstören is the more neutral standard choice. Töten is a much stronger metaphor that presents the feeling figuratively as something living that loses its life.
töten
Die endgültige Absage tötete ihre letzte Hoffnung auf eine Zusage.
The final rejection killed her last hope of receiving an acceptance.
zerstören
Die erneute Absage zerstörte ihre Hoffnung auf eine Zusage.
The renewed rejection destroyed her hope of receiving an acceptance.
In real life
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