Verb

verdanken

Translation

to owe, to have to thank for

Ich verdanke dir mein Leben.

I owe my life to you.

Sie verdankt ihren Erfolg harter Arbeit.

She owes her success to hard work.

Dem Zufall verdanken wir unsere Entdeckung.

We owe our discovery to chance.

((j-m)) ((et4)) to owe sth. (acc.) to sb. (dat.) I owe my education to my parents.

Synonyms: schulden (to owe money), zuschreiben (to attribute)

From the prefix 'ver-' and 'danken' (to thank). The meaning evolved from 'thanking' someone for something to 'owing' it to them.

Imagine you 'danken' (thank) someone so much for something that you feel you 'verdanken' (owe) it to them.