erbeuteten

Erbeuten is a transitive German verb meaning to loot or plunder, that is, to seize goods by force during war, conflict, or other acts of seizure. In historical or descriptive writing it is used to describe actions where attackers take valuables or weapons as spoils. The form erbeuteten is the simple past (Imperfekt) used for third-person plural subjects and, in practice, may also appear with first-person plural subjects in narrative contexts. The past participle erbeutet is used with haben to form the present perfect: Die Truppen haben Beute erbeutet.

Etymology and form: erbeuten is built with the prefix er- added to beuten (to plunder or seize). The prefix er- adds a sense of completion or attainment. The verb is relatively formal and is more common in historical, military, or scholarly descriptions than in everyday conversation. Its semantic field overlaps with rauben and plündern, but erbeuten often carries a connotation of victory or accomplishment in acquiring loot.

Usage notes: In modern German, erbeuten is most frequently found in written or formal contexts, especially when recounting past campaigns, sieges, or historical accounts. The term can appear in both active and passive constructions, such as Die Soldaten erbeuteten Beute or Beute wurde erbeutet. While less common in colloquial speech, erbeuten remains a precise option when describing intentional seizure of artifacts, arms, or valuables by force.

See also: Beute, plündern, rauben.