German

Verb

töten ‎(third-person singular simple present tötet, past tense tötete, past participle getötet, auxiliary haben)

1. to kill

   Zehn Menschen wurden bei dem Anschlag getötet.‎

   Ten people were killed in the attack.

Usage notes

• In formal style, töten is an adequate translation of English “to kill” in its literal meaning. Colloquially, the verb umbringen is preferred and töten is rare. In particular, only umbringen is generally used in figurative senses. For example: Ich bring meinen Freund um, wenn er meine Blumen nicht gegossen hat! – “I'll kill my boyfriend if he hasn't watered my flowers!”

Conjugation

Derived terms

• abtöten
• Tötung

Related terms

• tot
• Tod

See also

• Neuntöter