01
verstreuen
to scatter
To distribute or throw something (often small pieces) irregularly over an area.
example
Die Kinder haben ihre Spielsachen im ganzen Zimmer verstreut.
The children scattered their toys all over the room.
verstreuen
to scatter
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verstreuen' (to scatter) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' always stays at the beginning of the verb, even in a main clause.
EXAMPLE
Der Wind verstreute die trockenen Blätter auf der ganzen Straße.
The wind scattered the dry leaves all over the street.
Word structure
The verb is based on 'streuen' (to sprinkle/scatter). The prefix 'ver-' intensifies the meaning and emphasizes a wide, often disordered distribution.
EXAMPLE
Im Frühling verstreut der Bauer die Samen auf dem Feld.
In spring, the farmer scatters the seeds across the field.
Transitive vs. reflexive
Used transitively, 'verstreuen' (to scatter) means that someone actively distributes things. Used reflexively, 'sich verstreuen' (to disperse) means that a group breaks up and the members go in different directions.
EXAMPLE
Er hat die Brotkrumen für die Vögel im Garten verstreut.
He scattered the breadcrumbs for the birds in the garden.
Specific context
In the context of death and burial, the word has a very specific meaning. The object here is almost always 'die Asche' (the ashes) of a deceased person.
EXAMPLE
Sie erfüllte seinen letzten Wunsch und verstreute seine Asche an der Küste.
She fulfilled his final wish and scattered his ashes on the coast.
Compare with
verstreuen vs verbreiten
to spread
'verbreiten' and 'verstreuen' can both express that something does not stay in one place but spreads out further. The difference lies in the type of thing. 'verbreiten' is often used for news, ideas, diseases, or something that increases in an area or among many people. 'verstreuen' is more suitable for small things that are thrown or distributed over a surface, or for people who go in different directions. Learners may confuse the words because both describe a kind of spreading. For information or developments, 'verbreiten' is more natural; for individual parts or people going in different directions, 'verstreuen' is better.
verstreuen
Nach dem Konzert verstreuten sich die Besucher in alle Richtungen.
After the concert, the visitors dispersed in all directions.
verbreiten
Im Herbst verbreitet sich die Erkältung schnell in der ganzen Schule.
In autumn, the cold spreads quickly throughout the whole school.
In real life
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