Verscheuren

Verscheuren is a transitive Dutch verb meaning to tear apart, to shred, or to rip through something, typically by force and into pieces. It can refer to physical damage to materials such as paper, fabric, or cardboard, as well as to metaphorical or abstract ruptures, such as tearing apart a contract or a bond.

Etymology and usage notes: The verb is formed with the prefix ver- added to scheuren (to tear). In Dutch, ver- often emphasizes thoroughness, completion, or the resulting state of damage. Verscheuren implies a more complete or violent tearing than the simpler scheuren. It is primarily used for objects that can be torn physically, though it can appear in figurative expressions as well.

Common contexts and examples: Typical objects include sheets of paper, posters, fabric, envelopes, and cartons. Examples: Ik verscheur het papier in stukken. (I tear the paper into pieces.) De wind verscheurde het zeil. (The wind tore the sail apart.) The verb can also appear in phrases such as een contract verscheuren (to tear up a contract) or een band verscheuren (to tear apart a bond). In everyday language, verscheuren conveys a clear sense of force and fragmentation.

Conjugation overview: Present tense — ik verscheur, jij verscheurt, hij/zij/het verscheurt, wij verscheuren, jullie verscheuren, zij verscheuren. Past tense — ik verscheurde, jij verscheurde, hij verscheurde, wij verscheurden, jullie verscheurden, zij verscheurden. Present perfect — ik heb verscheurd, jij hebt verscheurd, hij heeft verscheurd, wij hebben verscheurd, jullie hebben verscheurd, zij hebben verscheurd. Participle and related forms follow the standard pattern of Dutch strong transitive verbs.