gefährden

Gefährden is a German transitive verb meaning to endanger or jeopardize the safety, health, or well-being of someone or something. It is used with a direct object in the accusative case and typically refers to people, animals, property, environments, or public safety. Common constructions include gefährden die Gesundheit, gefährden die Umwelt, or gefährden jemanden.

Etymology and form: The verb is formed from the noun Gefahr (danger) with the suffix -den, yielding a regular (weak) verb. It uses the stem gefährd- and, in the present tense, the vowel often alternates with umlaut (ich gefährde, du gefährdest, er gefährdet). The past participle is gefährdet and is used with the auxiliary haben to form the perfect: Ich habe die Umwelt gefährdet.

Conjugation and usage notes: As a transitive verb, gefährden takes a direct object in the accusative. It can describe threats to physical safety, health, legal or moral conditions, or material assets. The verb is often contrasted with riskieren (to risk) or mit einer Gefahr konfrontieren (to confront a danger). A related noun is Gefährdung (endangerment, hazard), and an adjective form is gefährlich (dangerous).

Examples:

- Die Luftverschmutzung gefährdet die Gesundheit der Bevölkerung. (Air pollution endangers public health.)

- Die Baustelle gefährdet Passanten. (The construction site endangers pedestrians.)

- Das unnötige Verhalten gefährdet die Sicherheit anderer. (That reckless behavior endangers the safety of others.)

See also: Gefährdung, Gefahr, gefährlich, riskieren.