01
die Zerstörung
destruction
The process or result of something being completely broken or destroyed.
example
Der Krieg führte zur Zerstörung großer Teile der Stadt.
The war led to the destruction of large parts of the city.
die Zerstörung
destruction
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family with 'zer-'
'Die Zerstörung' (destruction) is derived from the verb 'zerstören' (to destroy). The prefix 'zer-' often expresses a destructive action in verbs, where something is broken into pieces or destroyed.
EXAMPLE
Der Vandalismus führte zur Zerstörung der neuen Parkbänke.
The vandalism led to the destruction of the new park benches.
Sentence structure with genitive
To say what was destroyed, German usually uses the genitive. In spoken language, the construction with 'von' + dative is also common.
EXAMPLE
Die Zerstörung des Regenwaldes hat globale Folgen.
The destruction of the rainforest has global consequences.
Typical collocations
Common causes are 'Krieg' (war), 'Feuer' (fire), or 'Naturkatastrophen' (natural disasters). Typical verbs are 'verursachen' (to cause), 'führen zu' (to lead to), or 'verhindern' (to prevent).
EXAMPLE
Das Hochwasser verursachte die vollständige Zerstörung der Ernte.
The flood caused the complete destruction of the harvest.
Compare with
Zerstörung vs Schaden
damage / harm
'der Schaden' and 'die Zerstörung' both have to do with something being broken. 'Schaden' is more general and can be small or large: something is damaged, but often still exists or can be repaired. 'Zerstörung' is stronger: something is completely broken or destroyed. Learners may confuse the words because both describe negative consequences. If only a window is broken, you are more likely to say 'Schaden'. If a house can no longer be used, 'Zerstörung' fits better.
Zerstörung
Die Zerstörung der alten Brücke dauerte nur wenige Minuten.
The destruction of the old bridge took only a few minutes.
Schaden
Nach dem Unfall sieht man den Schaden an der vorderen Tür.
After the accident, you can see the damage to the front door.
In real life
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