schädigen

Schädigen is a German verb that means to cause damage or harm to someone or something. It covers physical harm to people or objects as well as broader or indirect harm, such as to health, the environment, or reputation.

Etymology and forms: Schädigen is derived from the noun Schaden (damage, harm) and uses the verbal suffix -igen. The participle is geschädigt. In present tense it conjugates regularly: ich schädige, du schädigst, er schädigt, wir schädigen, ihr schädigt, sie schädigen. The past tense uses a form with haben: er hat geschädigt.

Usage and nuance: Schädigen is typically more formal or technical than the common synonym beschädigen. Beschädigen usually refers to visible or physical damage to objects, while schädigen can imply broader or less tangible harm, including health, ecosystems, or reputation. In legal or medical contexts, schädigen appears frequently, for example in formulations like “eine Schädigung der Gesundheit” or “Schäden verursachen.” Reflexive usage is less common but possible in some contexts, as in “si che schädigt sich” (this is more literary).

Noun form and related terms: The corresponding noun is die Schädigung (the damage or harm caused), used in medical, environmental, and legal language. Related terms include Schaden (damage) and Beschädigung (physical impairment or damage to an object).

See also: Schaden, Beschädigung, Schädigung, Personenschaden, Sachschaden.