Abtreibung
/ˈapˌtʁaɪ̯bʊŋ/feminine
The German word for abortion is Abtreibung.
The term refers to the act of inducing an abortion.
Meaning: act of inducing abortion (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Abtreibung is the general term, Schwangerschaftsabbruch is a standard formal term for abortion and Indikationsschwangerschaftsabbruch is a specific medical term used for an abortion performed due to medical reasons.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, the term Schwangerschaftsunterbrechung is used to refer to the termination of a pregnancy.
How does it change in a sentence?
Abtreibung is a feminine noun and takes the definite article die.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈapˌtʁaɪ̯bʊŋ/
Did you know?
- In German, the term Schwangerschaftsabbruch literally translates to 'pregnancy break' or 'abortion', but the word Abbruch is the same word used for the demolition of a building.
- The verb abtreiben can also be used in the context of weather, such as when a storm is 'driven away' from a coast.
- The word Abtreibung comes from the verb treiben, which means 'to drive' or 'to push'. It literally describes the act of driving something away.
Examples in context
- Daniel gab Linda das Geld für eine Abtreibung.Dan gave Linda money for an abortion.This sentence shows the use of Abtreibung in a personal context regarding money.Tatoeba #13709090 by Waldelfe, translation #3933047 by Amastan
- Das ist eine soziologische Untersuchung zum Thema Abtreibung.This is a sociological study on abortion.This sentence shows Abtreibung being used as a topic of sociological study.Tatoeba #5265998 by Sudajaengi, translation #55465 by Zifre
- Der unabhängige Kandidat nahm das Thema Abtreibung aus seinem Wahlprogramm.The independent candidate took the abortion issue off his platform.This sentence shows Abtreibung being used in the context of a political platform.Tatoeba #2390706 by Tamy, translation #43831 by Swift
- Ein Schwangerschaftsabbruch ist in Deutschland legalAbortion is legal in Germany
- Der Indikationsschwangerschaftsabbruch wurde aufgrund schwerer Komplikationen durchgeführtThe abortion was performed due to severe complications
- Sie hat sich für einen Abbruch entschiedenShe decided to have an abortion
- In einigen Ländern ist ein Schwangerschaftsabbruch illegal, während er in Deutschland legal ist.In some countries, abortion is illegal, while it is legal in Germany.
- Ich persönlich denke, dass Abtreibung eine persönliche Entscheidung ist.Personally, I believe that abortion is a personal decision.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are discussing a news article about legal rights.
- FelixIst eine Abtreibung in jedem Land legal?Is an abortion legal in every country?
- SarahNein, in vielen Ländern ist eine Abtreibung verboten.No, an abortion is forbidden in many countries.
- FelixDas ist ein sehr schwieriges Thema.That is a very difficult topic.
- SarahJa, über eine Abtreibung sollte man lange nachdenken.Yes, one should think for a long time about an abortion.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “abortion” translations and entries Abtreibung, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Abtreibung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
