The German word for victim or sacrifice is das Opfer.
Opfer in German is used for people who suffer harm or loss, but also for offerings and sacrifices (both literal and metaphorical). It’s a word that carries emotional depth and moral weight.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (you can download the full PDF for free).

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a neuter noun: das Opfer.
Still unsure about genders? This video lesson helps you lock them in quickly.

Pronunciation:
Opfer is pronounced [OP-fuh]

• “OP” like “hop”

• “fuh” like “uh”
  Two syllables: OP-fuh

Example sentences

Das Opfer wurde ins Krankenhaus gebracht.

The victim was taken to the hospital.

Er brachte ein großes Opfer für seine Familie.

He made a big sacrifice for his family.

Viele Opfer des Sturms sind obdachlos.

Many victims of the storm are homeless.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Sie war ein Opfer von Betrug."

She was a victim of fraud.

"Manchmal muss man Opfer bringen."

Sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

"Ich will nicht immer das Opfer sein!"

I don’t want to always be the victim!

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Lea: Hast du vom Unfall gehört?
Ben: Ja… das Opfer war ein junger Mann.
Lea: So tragisch.
Ben: Ja, echt schlimm.

Translation:
Lea: Did you hear about the accident?
Ben: Yeah… the victim was a young man.
Lea: So tragic.
Ben: Yeah, really awful.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Das Opfer überlebte schwer verletzt.

The victim survived with serious injuries.

Accusative:
Ich habe das Opfer gesehen.

I saw the victim.

Dative:
Sie hilft dem Opfer persönlich.

She’s helping the victim personally.

Genitive:
Die Rechte des Opfers müssen geschützt werden.

The rights of the victim must be protected.

Other ways to say victim or sacrifice in German

Opfer is the core word for victim or sacrifice in German, but Verletzter (injured person) and Geschädigter (person affected) are sometimes used in legal contexts. Märtyrer refers to a martyr—a religious or ideological sacrifice.

Word variations and tidbits

Common phrases include Opfer bringen (make sacrifices), Kriegsopfer (war victim), Unfallopfer (accident victim), Brandopfer (burn victim), and Opferrolle (victim mindset). In slang, calling someone an “Opfer” is an insult meaning “loser”—use with caution.

📘 Duden entry for Opfer
🎥 Want to avoid feeling like a sprachliches Opfer? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns—clearly, confidently, and with a free PDF.

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