verweigern
to refuse
To refuse to carry out a required or expected action.
EXAMPLE
Der Angeklagte verweigerte die Aussage vor Gericht.
The defendant refused to give testimony in court.
verweigern
to refuse
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
verweigern
to deny
To not give or grant someone something they have requested or might have a right to claim.
EXAMPLE
Die Versicherung verweigerte die Zahlung, da der Schaden selbst verschuldet war.
The insurance company denied the payment because the damage was self-inflicted.
sich verweigern
to refuse to engage
To consciously withdraw from a situation, requirement, or social expectation and not participate.
EXAMPLE
Der Teenager verweigerte sich dem Gespräch mit seinen Eltern und zog sich in sein Zimmer zurück.
The teenager refused to engage in the conversation with his parents and withdrew to his room.
den Kriegsdienst verweigern
to refuse military service
To reject the legal obligation to perform military service for reasons of conscience.
EXAMPLE
Er hat aus pazifistischer Überzeugung den Kriegsdienst verweigert und stattdessen Zivildienst geleistet.
He refused military service because of his pacifist beliefs and performed civilian service instead.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verweigern' (to refuse) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem in all tenses and sentence constructions.
EXAMPLE
Er hat die Annahme des Pakets verweigert.
He refused to accept the package.
Dative and accusative object
This verb can have two objects. The person to whom something is refused is in the dative. The thing that is refused is in the accusative. The pattern is: jemandem (dative) etwas (accusative) verweigern — to refuse someone something.
EXAMPLE
Der Türsteher verweigerte uns den Eintritt.
The bouncer refused us entry.
Typical collocations
When someone does not want to carry out an action, 'verweigern' is often combined with nouns that describe a duty or expected action: 'die Aussage verweigern' (to refuse to testify), 'die Mitarbeit verweigern' (to refuse to cooperate), 'den Befehl verweigern' (to refuse an order).
EXAMPLE
Der Zeuge darf die Aussage verweigern, um sich nicht selbst zu belasten.
The witness may refuse to testify in order not to incriminate himself.
Reflexive use
The reflexive form 'sich verweigern' means that someone consciously withdraws from a situation or expectation. It is often followed by a dative object indicating whom or what one is withdrawing from.
EXAMPLE
Er verweigert sich jeder Diskussion über seine Zukunft.
He refuses to engage in any discussion about his future.
Fixed expression
The expression 'den Kriegsdienst verweigern' (to refuse military service) is a fixed phrase. It describes the legal option of not participating in military service for reasons of conscience. A person who does this is a 'Kriegsdienstverweigerer' (conscientious objector).
EXAMPLE
In Deutschland kann man den Kriegsdienst verweigern und stattdessen einen Zivildienst leisten.
In Germany, one can refuse military service and perform civilian service instead.
Compare with
verweigern vs ablehnen
to reject
Both verbs can express a negative response to a request. Ablehnen is usually directed at the request, offer, or suggestion itself; verweigern emphasizes instead that someone does not give what was requested. Use ablehnen for the matter being rejected and verweigern for withholding something.
verweigern
Der Verein verweigerte der Familie die finanzielle Hilfe.
The organization denied the family financial assistance.
ablehnen
Der Verein lehnte die Bitte um finanzielle Hilfe ab.
The organization rejected the request for financial assistance.
In real life
Loading video examples...