21 December 2025
How do you say Traitor in German?
It’s the person who breaks trust, betrays a group, or switches sides. In German, that’s der Verräter. This is your German word of the day, and while it’s a heavy word, it’s one you’ll definitely encounter in politics, history, crime stories - or heated arguments.
The noun Verräter means traitor or betrayer, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It shows up in everything from World War II documentaries to teenage drama shows, and its emotional weight is not to be underestimated.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Verräter (want to finally understand gender? Our super-useful and fast video lesson will get you there: Watch the 5-minute video lesson on German noun genders).
Pronunciation
Verräter is pronounced approximately [fer-REH-tuh], with a steady long ä (often a long e in regional speech).
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Ver- is unstressed, approximately [fɛɐ̯] (a short e followed by a reduced r sound),
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rät has a steady long ä and a pronounced t; the r may be uvular or rolled depending on the speaker,
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er is a soft ending like “uh”
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Stress is on the second syllable: ver-RÄT-er
It sounds sharp - exactly like the sting of betrayal it implies.
Example sentences:
Er wurde als Verräter beschimpft.He was called a traitor.
Die Gruppe fühlt sich von ihm verraten.The group feels betrayed by him.
Nuance and usage tips
Verräter refers specifically to a person who betrays someone else - whether in politics, personal relationships, or secret groups.
Closely related words:
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verraten (verb) - to betray
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Verrat (noun) - betrayal
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Verräterin - female traitor
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Hochverrat - high treason
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Geheimverräter - someone who betrays secrets (context-dependent compound)
Landesverrat - treason involving state secrets
In strong emotional contexts, it’s a very loaded word. Saying “Du bist ein Verräter!” is a serious accusation.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
In real life, you may not use Verräter lightly - but you will see it in news, history class, or pop culture:
“Er hat die Gruppe verraten.” - He betrayed the group.“Er hat ein Geheimnis verraten.” - He revealed a secret.
It’s also used metaphorically or sarcastically among friends or teammates:
“Du hast uns verraten, als du mit der anderen Mannschaft gespielt hast!” - You betrayed us when you played with the other team!
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Lina: Warum redet Max nicht mehr mit dir?Ben: Er nennt mich einen Verräter.Lina: Was ist passiert?Ben: Ich habe ihm nicht gesagt, dass ich die Gruppe gewechselt habe.
Lina: Why isn’t Max talking to you anymore?Ben: He’s calling me a traitor.Lina: What happened?Ben: I didn’t tell him I switched groups.
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:Der Verräter hat das Geheimnis verraten.The traitor revealed the secret.
Accusative:Sie nennen ihn einen Verräter.They’re calling him a traitor.
Dative:Mit dem Verräter will niemand mehr sprechen.No one wants to speak with the traitor.
Genitive:Die Worte des Verräters waren kalt.The words of the traitor were cold.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Other related terms and idioms:
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Verräterisch - traitorous, revealing
ein verräterisches Lächeln - a telltale smile
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jemanden verraten - to betray someone
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als Verräter gelten - to be considered a traitor
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Treuebruch - breach of loyalty
Usage note: Verräter is a loaded accusation of betrayal. Its force depends on the situation; joking use among friends is different from a political accusation.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Verraeter🎥 Learn Verräter and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course: Watch the 1000 German Nouns video course
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