German Conversation · Level 84
57 words
German word
verspielen
Pronunciation
IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈʃpiːlən/
Meaning
- verbgamble away
Example
Im Casino verspielte ich gestern mein ganzes Geld.
Yesterday at the casino, I gambled away all my money.
More examples
Durch Unüberlegtheit hat das Team seine letzte Chance verspielt.
Through thoughtlessness, the team squandered its last chance.
Core concept
A risky move turns a valuable reserve into nothing, whether the reserve is cash, an opportunity, or another person's confidence.
Common phrases
Geld verspielen
gamble away money
das Vertrauen verspielen
forfeit trust
eine Chance verspielen
squander a chance
Similar words
verlieren: Be deprived of something or miss an opportunity.
verzocken: Blow money on gambling or bets, in an informal sense.
einbüßen: Lose confidence, reputation, or another valued intangible.
verschwenden: Squander time or money without gaining anything useful.
Definition in German
Etwas (z. B. Geld, eine Chance, das Vertrauen) durch riskantes Spiel oder unüberlegtes Verhalten verlieren.
Word origin
German formed verspielen from spielen with the prefix ver-, which often marks an adverse or unsuccessful result in such verbs.
Usage tips
- Verspielen is more blame-oriented than the neutral verlieren, because it suggests that poor judgment or risky behavior caused the loss.