zerfetzen
Translation
to shred, to tear to pieces, to tatter
Examples
Der Hund hat die Zeitung zerfetzt.
The dog shredded the newspaper.
Der Sturm zerfetzte die Segel des Schiffes.
The storm tattered the ship's sails.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to shred sth. The dog shredded the newspaper.
Similar Words
zerreißen (to tear up), zerschneiden (to cut up), zerstückeln (to dismember)
Etymology
From 'zer-' (apart) + 'Fetzen' (a scrap, a rag). So, 'to make into scraps'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a paper shredder 'zerfetzen'-ing documents into tiny 'Fetzen' (scraps).