verb

opfern

sacrifice

Etwas oder jemanden für ein Ziel oder aus Pflicht weggeben, obwohl es schwerfällt oder man es behalten möchte.

Definition & meaning

The verb opfern primarily means to sacrifice. It is used in several different contexts:

Religious or ritual sacrifice: This refers to the act of offering something, such as an animal, food, or an object, to a deity or higher power as part of a religious ceremony.
Personal sacrifice: It describes giving up something valuable—such as time, money, or one's own interests—for the sake of a specific goal, a person, or a cause. For example, one might sacrifice their free time to help a friend.
Self-sacrifice: The reflexive form, sich opfern, means to devote oneself entirely to a task or another person, often to the point of self-neglect or giving up one's life.
Chess and games: In a strategic context, it means to intentionally lose a piece (like a pawn or a knight) to gain a better position or a long-term advantage.

Grammar & Word origin

Opfern is a regular (weak) verb. Its principal forms are:

Präsens: ich opfere, du opferst, er/sie/es opfert
Präteritum: ich opferte
Perfekt: hat geopfert

The word is closely related to the noun das Opfer, which can mean both "the sacrifice" (the thing offered) and "the victim" (the person harmed).

Etymologically, it is derived from the Old High German word opfarōn, which was borrowed from the Latin operari (to work, to serve, or to perform a ritual). Over time, the meaning shifted from the general performance of a religious service to the specific act of making an offering.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

hingeben: To give something up or devote it to something.
darbringen: Used specifically for formal or ritualistic offerings.
hergeben: To give something away, often with a sense of loss.
preisgeben: To abandon or expose something.
verzichten: To do without something or renounce it.

Antonyms

behalten: To keep or retain something.
bewahren: To preserve or protect something from being lost.
retten: To save or rescue something that might otherwise be lost or sacrificed.
empfangen: To receive, acting as the opposite of the person giving the sacrifice.