befürchtest

Befürchtest is the second-person singular present tense form of the German verb befürchten. The verb means to fear that something negative will happen or to be apprehensive about a possible outcome. It is used when expressing worry about a future event or result, often with a dass-clause or with an infinitive clause introduced by zu.

The prefix be- combined with forchten (to fear) yields befürchten, a verb that conveys anticipation of an undesired development rather than a simple emotional fear. In everyday language befürchten is frequently used in formal or careful speech, and it can appear with dass: “Du befürchtest, dass er dich verlässt.” It can also occur with a zu-infinitive: “Ich befürchte, dich enttäuschen zu müssen,” where the speaker anticipates having to cause disappointment.

Grammatically, befürchten is a regular verb in its conjugation. The form befürchtest is specific to the second-person singular present tense; other forms are befürchte (ich), befürchtet (ihr), befürchten (wir, Sie, sie). It is often contrasted with simpler expressions of fear or concern, such as Angst haben vor or sorgen (sich Sorgen machen), where befürchten emphasizes the belief that a negative outcome is possible.

Usage notes: befürchten tends to appear in contexts of uncertainty and risk, rather than immediate fear. It is common in journalism, political discourse, and formal communication, but also found in everyday conversations when someone wants to articulate a considered worry about future events.