das Verbrechen
Translation
crime, felony, offence
Examples
Er hat ein Verbrechen begangen.
He committed a crime.
Die Polizei untersucht das Verbrechen.
The police are investigating the crime.
Grammar Patterns
ein Verbrechen begehen to commit a crime Er hat ein schweres Verbrechen begangen.
Similar Words
Synonyms: die Straftat, das Delikt
Etymology
From the prefix 'ver-' (indicating something wrong or amiss) + 'brechen' (to break). It signifies the act of 'breaking' the law.
Memory Tips
Think of 'ver-' as 'for-' in 'forbid' or 'forsake', implying something negative. So, 'ver-brechen' is like 'to break wrongly' or 'to break the law'.