verprügeln
To pummel in German is verprügeln.
The verb verprügeln means to hit or strike heavily and repeatedly. While it primarily describes a physical beating, it is often used figuratively to describe defeating someone soundly in an argument or a competition.
Meaning: To hit or strike heavily and repeatedly (verb)
Which one should you use?
While verprügeln implies a physical beating or hitting someone repeatedly, you can also use the phrase heftig schlagen to specifically mean 'to strike heavily'.
How does it change in a sentence?
verprügeln is a weak verb, which means it follows regular conjugation patterns. The past participle forms are verprügelt and verprügelte.
Did you know?
- The root word prügeln is closely related to the noun Prügel, which refers to a switch or a birch rod used for corporal punishment in historical German schools.
- While verprügeln sounds quite aggressive and violent, it is frequently used jokingly among friends to describe a crushing defeat in a board game or a video game.
- While verprügeln describes a beating, the German language has a separate, specific word verhauen that is often used by children when reporting they were hit by a parent or teacher.
Examples in context
- Er hat ihn verprügelt, bis er blau warHe pummeled him until he was blue.
- Er hat ihn heftig geschlagenHe pummeled him heavily
- Sie haben sich durch die Menge durchgeprügeltThey pummeled their way through the crowd
- Er wollte den Dieb verprügeln.He wanted to beat up the thief.
- Wirst du ihn wirklich verprügeln?Are you really going to beat him up?
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are discussing a fight they saw in a movie.
- SarahHast du gesehen, wie er ihn verprügeln wollte?Did you see how he wanted to pummel him?
- JulianJa, das war eine sehr gewalttätige Szene.Yes, that was a very violent scene.
- SarahIch finde solche Szenen im Film schrecklich.I find such scenes in movies terrible.
- JulianIch stimme dir vollkommen zu, Sarah.I completely agree with you, Sarah.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry verprügeln, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
