Betrinken

Betrinken is a German verb that appears in two main senses. In its reflexive form, sich betrinken, it means to drink alcohol to the point of intoxication or to get drunk. In its transitive use, jdn. betrinken, it means to cause someone else to become intoxicated, typically by providing them with alcohol so that they become drunk. The reflexive meaning is by far more common in everyday speech; the transitive sense is less frequent and tends to appear in descriptive or narrative contexts or in discussions of social behavior.

Etymology and forms: The verb is derived from trinken with the prefix be-, which commonly yields a causative or intensive nuance in German. The past participle is betrunken, and the verb follows typical be- + trinken inflection patterns in the present tense (ich betrinke, du betrinkst, er betrinkt, wir betrinken, ihr betrinkt, sie betrinken). The adjective betrunken is used to describe someone who is intoxicated.

Usage notes: Betrinken is primarily used in informal or semi-formal language. The reflexive form conveys personal action (getting drunk), while the transitive form indicates an action performed on another person and can carry negative or coercive connotations, depending on context. In health, legal, and ethical discussions, the act of intentionally intoxifying another person is generally viewed as problematic.

See also: Alcohol, drunkenness, moderation, alcohol policy.

Examples: Er betrinkt sich oft am Wochenende. Der Kellner betrinkt die Gäste nicht. The adjective betrunken is commonly seen in phrases like "Er ist betrunken," meaning "He is drunk."