sterben
Translation
to die
Examples
Mein Großvater ist letztes Jahr gestorben.
My grandfather died last year.
Er ist an einer Krankheit gestorben.
He died of an illness.
Ich sterbe vor Hunger!
I'm dying of hunger!
Grammar Patterns
((an+3)) to die of (an illness) Er ist an Krebs gestorben.
((für+4)) to die for (a cause) Der Soldat ist für sein Land gestorben.
((vor+3)) to be dying of (an emotion/cause) Ich sterbe vor Langeweile.
Similar Words
Synonyms: ums Leben kommen (to perish), versterben (formal: to pass away); Antonyms: leben (to live)
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *sterbaną ('to be stiff, die'). It is a cognate of the English word 'starve', which originally meant 'to die' in general.
Memory Tips
Think of the connection to 'starve'. While it now means to die of hunger, it originally meant to die in general. 'Sterben' kept the general meaning.