01
verschwenden
to waste
To use up something (such as time, money, or resources) unnecessarily, thoughtlessly, or without benefit.
example
Verschwende deine Zeit nicht mit unwichtigen Dingen.
Don't waste your time on unimportant things.
verschwenden
to waste
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Meanings
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verschwenden' (to waste) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' always remains attached to the verb and often indicates that something is done incorrectly, used up, or led to a negative outcome.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sein ganzes Geld im Casino verschwendet.
He wasted all his money at the casino.
Sentence structure with prepositions
If you want to say what something is wasted on, you use the prepositions 'für' (for) or 'an' (on), followed by the accusative. The pattern is: etwas (accusative) für/an etwas (accusative) verschwenden.
EXAMPLE
Sie verschwendet zu viel Energie an unwichtige Diskussionen.
She wastes too much energy on unimportant discussions.
Typical collocations
'Verschwenden' (to waste) is often used with abstract resources. Typical combinations are: 'Zeit verschwenden' (to waste time), 'Geld verschwenden' (to waste money), 'Energie verschwenden' (to waste energy), or 'eine Chance verschwenden' (to waste an opportunity).
EXAMPLE
Lass uns keine Zeit verschwenden und direkt mit der Arbeit anfangen.
Let's not waste any time and start working right away.
Compare with
verschwenden vs verwenden
to use
'verwenden' and 'verschwenden' look similar, but they mean almost the opposite. 'verwenden' means that you use something sensibly or for a specific purpose. 'verschwenden' means that you use something up unnecessarily, for example time, money, or energy. The words can easily be confused because they sound similar and both are often used with things like money or time. Pay attention to the evaluation: 'verwenden' is neutral, while 'verschwenden' is negative.
verschwenden
Herr Wolf hat in der Pause viel Zeit mit unwichtigen Nachrichten verschwendet.
During the break, Mr. Wolf wasted a lot of time on unimportant messages.
verwenden
Er verwendet sein altes Handy jetzt nur noch für Musik.
He now uses his old phone only for music.
In real life
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