wegwerfen
to throw away
To throw something that you no longer need or that is broken into the trash.
EXAMPLE
Diese alten Zeitungen kannst du wegwerfen.
You can throw away these old newspapers.
wegwerfen
to throw away
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Meanings
wegwerfen
to throw away
To carelessly give up or fail to use something valuable, such as a chance, talent, or opportunity.
EXAMPLE
Du solltest diese einmalige Chance nicht einfach wegwerfen.
You shouldn't just throw away this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
sich wegwerfen vor Lachen
to die laughing
To laugh extremely hard and uncontrollably.
EXAMPLE
Als er den Witz erzählte, haben wir uns alle weggeworfen vor Lachen.
When he told the joke, we all died laughing.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Wegwerfen' (to throw away) is a separable verb. The prefix 'weg' comes at the end in main clauses. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Er wirft die leere Flasche weg.
He throws the empty bottle away.
Word structure
The verb consists of the directional particle 'weg' (away, off) and the verb 'werfen' (to throw). The literal meaning is therefore 'to throw something away from oneself.'
EXAMPLE
Bitte wirf deinen Abfall in den Mülleimer und nicht einfach auf die Straße weg.
Please throw your trash into the garbage can and not just onto the street.
Literal vs. figurative
You can recognize whether the verb is meant literally (disposing of trash) or figuratively (wasting something) from the object. If it is waste, the meaning is literal. If it is something valuable like a chance, money, or talent, the meaning is figurative.
EXAMPLE
Wirf die alten Zeitungen bitte weg.
Please throw away the old newspapers.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'sich wegwerfen vor Lachen' (to die laughing) is a fixed reflexive construction. It means that someone is laughing extremely hard. The structure is always 'sich wegwerfen' followed by 'vor' and a noun in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Der Film war so komisch, ich habe mich weggeworfen vor Lachen.
The film was so funny, I died laughing.
Compare with
wegwerfen vs verschwenden
to waste
Verschwenden describes using up something valuable without benefit or failing to use it sensibly. In a figurative sense, wegwerfen can mean carelessly giving up a valuable opportunity or talent. Use verschwenden for the waste itself, and wegwerfen for thoughtlessly giving up an opportunity.
wegwerfen
Er warf seine große Chance auf eine neue Stelle weg.
He threw away his great chance at a new job.
verschwenden
Er verschwendete sein Talent, weil er jahrelang keine Aufgaben übernahm.
He wasted his talent because he did not take on any tasks for years.
In real life
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