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German
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle High German betriegen, from Old High German bitriogan, from Proto-West Germanic *bidreugan. Equivalent to be- + trügen. The modern -ü- in this verb chiefly follows the development in the rhyming word lügen (“to lie”). It was reinforced by the noun Betrug and by the 2nd and 3rd person-singular forms (as in lügen itself, which compare).
Verb
betrügen (class 2 strong, third-person singular present betrügt, past tense betrog, past participle betrogen, past subjunctive betröge, auxiliary haben)
- (transitive) to deceive (usually deliberately)
- Synonyms: täuschen, belügen, hintergehen, vorspielen
Sie betrügt dich mit ihrer falschen Fürsorge.- She deceives you with her disingenuous care for you.
Du betrügst dich, wenn du noch auf Besserung hoffst.- You deceive yourself if you still hope for improvement.
- (transitive or intransitive, also law) to defraud; to perform an act of fraud against; to swindle
- Synonyms: über den Tisch ziehen, übers Ohr hauen, neppen, übervorteilen
Er hat die Firma um mehrere tausend Euro betrogen.- He defrauded the company of several thousands of euros.
Diese Straßenhändler betrügen, wo sie nur können.- These street hawkers swindle whenever they get the chance.
- (transitive or intransitive, marriage, etc.) to betray (sexually or romantically); to cheat on
- Synonym: fremdgehen
Er hat seine Frau mit einer Arbeitskollegin betrogen.- He cheated on his wife with one of his coworkers.
Es ist völliger Unsinn, dass alle Männer betrügen würden.- It's complete nonsense to say that all men cheat.
- (intransitive, games) to cheat
- Synonyms: mogeln, schummeln, pfuschen
Sie hat nur gewonnen, weil sie betrogen hat.- She only won because she cheated.
Conjugation
Conjugation of
betrügen (class 2
strong, auxiliary
haben)
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Composed forms of
betrügen (class 2
strong, auxiliary
haben)
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See the lemma.
Verb
betrügen
- form of betragen
Further reading
- “betrügen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “betrügen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “betrügen” in Duden online
- “betrügen” in OpenThesaurus.de