verb
to save, to rescue
B1
Meaning: to save, to rescue — to free someone or something from danger or loss. Regular weak verb; participle perfekt: gerettet; auxiliary: haben (ich habe gerettet). Non-reflexive, not separable. Used transitively; passive forms exist (wird gerettet). Common in emergency and figurative contexts.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Die Feuerwehr rettete die Familie, weil das Feuer schnell wuchs.
The fire brigade rescued the family because the fire grew quickly.
Er konnte das Kind aus dem brennenden Haus retten.
He was able to save the child from the burning house.
Ich rette den Hund.
I'm saving the dog.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture someone pulling another person up from danger and shouting 'I've saved you!' — that image links to 'retten'.
Think 'ret' like the start of 'rescue' and 'ten' like the number 10 — imagine rescuing ten people.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Commonly used with 'vor' + dative (e.g., jemanden vor etwas retten) to indicate what someone is saved from. Used for saving lives or protecting from danger; not an auxiliary verb.