Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Verletzter | masculine | |
| Verwundeter | masculine | |
| Verunglückter | masculine | |
| Gefallener | masculine | |
| Todesfall | /ˈtoːdəsˌfal/ | masculine |
| Todesopfer | neuter | |
| Unfallopfer | neuter |
While English uses 'casualty' for both injured and dead, German often distinguishes between the person's state using Opfer (victim) or specific terms for injury or death. For example, Schwer Verletzte is a formal term used to refer to seriously injured casualties in the context of accidents or disasters. If you are referring to a list of casualties or losses in a formal context, such as military reports or official announcements, use Verlustliste.
Which one should you use?
The different German forms are chosen based on the specific nature of the casualty. Verletzter refers specifically to someone who is injured but still alive, whereas a casualty in English can also imply death. For a casualty who has died, use Todesopfer (death victim), which is often used in news reports or official statistics. If the casualty died in a military or combat context, use Gefallener (fallen soldier). If the casualty resulted specifically from an accident, such as a car crash or natural disaster, use Verunglückter (victim of an accident).
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the masculine form Verletzter is Verletzte.
Did you know?
- In official German police or emergency reports, you may see the term Personenschaden, which literally means 'person damage', to describe the occurrence of casualties.
- The word Verunglückter is derived from Unglück, which means 'bad luck'. This suggests that an accident is viewed as a stroke of misfortune.
- While Opfer translates as 'victim' or 'casualty', it is also the word for a 'sacrifice' in a religious or ritual context.
Examples in context
- Die Verlustliste des Krieges wurde veröffentlichtThe casualty list of the war was published
- Es gibt fünf schwer Verletzte nach dem ErdbebenThere are five seriously injured casualties after the earthquake
- Bei dem Unfall gab es viele OpferThere were many casualties in the accident
- Ein Verletzter wurde ins Krankenhaus gebracht.One casualty was taken to the hospital.
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are watching a news report about a traffic accident.
- JuliaHast du die Nachrichten über den Unfall gesehen?Did you see the news about the accident?
- JulianJa, gab es einen Verletzter?Yes, was there a casualty?
- JuliaJa, ein Mann wurde leicht verletzt.Yes, one man was slightly injured.
- JulianDas ist zum Glück nicht so schlimm.Fortunately, that is not too bad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “casualty” translations and entries Verletzter, Gefallener, Todesfall, Todesopfer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
