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   Jens Clasen (jensclasen@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 19:40:47 JST Jens Clasen

   The German prefix "zer-" is a tiny Terminator.

   stören: to disturb
   zerstören: to destroy

   pflücken: to pick, to pluck
   zerpflücken: to destroy

   schlagen: to beat, to hit
   zerschlagen: to destroy

   legen: to lay
   zerlegen: to destroy

   teilen: to share, to split
   zerteilen: to destroy

   siedeln: to settle
   zersiedeln: to destroy (by settling)

   setzen: to set
   zersetzen: to destroy (by corrosion)

   drücken: to press, to squeeze
   zerdrücken: to destroy (by squeezing)

   Zerjoy our language!

   #TheGermanWord

   • Embed this notice
     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) (greenskyoverme@ohai.social)'s status on Monday, 04-Dec-2023 21:45:50 JST GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)

     in reply to

     • Lulu · לולו

     @lulu Brechen is usually not used with a direct object (except in old texts and fixed expressions that are old).

     Ich zerbreche den Stock. Nicht: Ich breche den Stock.

     “Ich breche” without any object means I’m throwing up 🤮.

   • Embed this notice
     Lulu · לולו (lulu@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 04-Dec-2023 21:45:51 JST Lulu · לולו

     in reply to

     @jensclasen And what's the difference between brechen and zerbrechen? The zer- feels like a meaningless ornament.

   • Embed this notice
     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) (greenskyoverme@ohai.social)'s status on Monday, 04-Dec-2023 23:25:44 JST GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)

     in reply to

     • Lulu · לולו

     @lulu Yes, I would say so.

     For an inanimate object they are the same when used without an object: Der Stock bricht = Der Stock zerbricht. But it would be more common to say Der Stock bricht durch (from durchbrechen) instead of just Der Stock bricht. It sounds a bit literary (like in a poem).

   • Embed this notice
     Lulu · לולו (lulu@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 04-Dec-2023 23:25:45 JST Lulu · לולו

     in reply to

     • GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)

     @GreenSkyOverMe Thanks for the explanation! :)

     So, basically "brechen" means "to break" in the sense of "to get broken", but with an animate subject it means "to throw up". Did I get it right?