verb
to destroy, to ruin
B1
Means to destroy or to ruin. Used with a direct object (etwas zerstören). Auxiliary haben; regular (weak) verb with present stem umlaut o→ö in forms like ich zerstöre, but Präteritum is regular. Perfekt participle: zerstört. Not reflexive. Passive forms (wird zerstört) are common for describing damage.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Die Flut zerstörte die Brücke, obwohl die Bauarbeiter sie kurz zuvor noch reparierten.
The flood destroyed the bridge, although the construction workers had repaired it shortly before.
Der Sturm hat viele Häuser zerstört.
The storm destroyed many houses.
Wenn du die Beweise zerstörst, ruinierst du das ganze Projekt.
If you destroy the evidence, you'll ruin the whole project.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture a building being torn down with the label 'zerstören' stamped across it.
Think 'zest-TORE-en' — imagine tearing ('tore') something apart.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Past participle is 'zerstört' (no 'ge-' because of the prefix 'zer-'). Use with haben in perfect tenses.