schädigt

Schädigt is a German verb, the third-person singular present tense form of the verb schädigen. It translates to "damages" or "harms" in English. The verb schädigen is used to describe the act of causing damage, injury, or detriment to something or someone. This can be physical harm, as in an injury to a person, or it can refer to damage to property, the environment, or abstract concepts like reputation or health. For instance, one might say "Rauchen schädigt die Lunge" which means "Smoking damages the lungs." Similarly, "Die Umweltverschmutzung schädigt die Natur" translates to "Pollution harms nature." The verb is transitive, meaning it requires a direct object that receives the action of damaging. The past tense of schädigen is schädigte, and the past participle is geschädigt. Therefore, the word schädigt specifically indicates that something or someone *is currently causing* damage.