Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| zerschellen | /ˌt͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃɛlən/ |
| zerschmettern | [t͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃmɛtɐn] (narrow) |
| zertrümmern | /t͡sɛɐ̯ˈtʁʏmɐn/ |
| zerbrechen | [tsɐˈbʁɛçn̩] (narrow) [tsɐˈbʁɛçən] (narrow) |
The verbs in this group describe the act of breaking something violently. Related to these actions, you might encounter the noun Krachen, which refers to the sound of a violent impact or the colloquial noun Wucht, used to describe something that is very successful.
What does it mean word for word?
The verbs share the prefix zer-, which indicates destruction, dispersion or the act of breaking something into many pieces.
Which one should you use?
While all these terms involve smashing, zerbrechen is the most general term for breaking something into pieces. In contrast, zertrümmern and zerschmettern imply much greater force and more violent destruction. Specifically, zerschmettern evokes the idea of a heavy, crushing impact, often involving a massive blow or a heavy object.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb zertrümmern is a weak verb, meaning its simple past form is zertrümmerte. The verb zerbrechen is a strong verb, so its past participle is zerbrochen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌtsɛɐ̯ˈʃɛlən/
Did you know?
- In German culture, the custom of Polterabend involves guests smashing porcelain plates to bring luck to a couple before their wedding.
- The word schellen inside zerschellen carries the historical sense of 'to ring' or 'to strike', like a bell.
- The word Trümmer inside zertrümmern is actually a noun that translates to 'rubble' or 'debris'.
Examples in context
- Tom hob die Brechstange in der Absicht, seinem Angreifer den Schädel zu zertrümmern.Tom raised the crowbar intending to smash his attacker's head.This sentence is useful for seeing the use of zertrümmern.Tatoeba #1922516 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1922109 by CK
- Wir müssen das Glas zerschlagen, um an den Inhalt zu gelangen.We have to smash the glass to access the content.
- Er zertrümmerte die Vase aus Versehen, als er darüber stolperte.He accidentally smashed the vase when he tripped over it.
- Lass uns die alte CD kaputt machen und eine neue kaufen.Let's smash the old CD and buy a new one.
- Der Fußballspieler hat den Ball platt gemacht, als er darauf trat.The soccer player smashed the ball flat when he stepped on it.
- Die Welle ließ das Surfbrett gegen den Felsen zerschellen.The wave caused the surfboard to smash against the rock.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smash” translations and entries zerschellen, zerschmettern, zertrümmern, zerbrechen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zerbrechen, zerschellen, zerschmettern, zertrümmern, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
