Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Krimineller | masculine | |
| Kriminelle | feminine | |
| Verbrecher | /fɛɐ̯ˈbʁɛçɐ/ | masculine |
| Übeltäter | /ˈyːbl̩ˌtɛːtɐ/ /-ˌteːtɐ/ |
masculine |
| Übeltäterin | /ˈyːbl̩tɛːtəʁɪn/ | feminine |
| Missetäter | /ˈmɪsəˌtɛːtɐ/ /-ˌteːtɐ/ |
masculine |
| Missetäterin | /ˈmɪsəˌtɛːtəʁɪn/ | feminine |
In German, several words can be used to describe a person who has broken the law. Krimineller and its forms are common ways to refer to a person guilty of a crime. If you want to describe an action or a person using an adjective, use the lowercase form kriminell.
Which one should you use?
While Krimineller is a standard term, other options change the nuance of the word. Verbrecher is a common term for a criminal. Übeltäter (masculine) or Übeltäterin (feminine) carries a more moralistic or archaic tone, often used to describe a 'wrongdoer' rather than just a legal criminal. In contrast, for a strictly legal context, the word Straftäter is used to mean offender or perpetrator.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is Krimineller and the feminine singular form is Kriminelle.
Did you know?
- The word Verbrechen for 'crime' is related to the verb brechen, which means 'to break'. A criminal is literally someone who 'breaks' the law or a social contract.
- In German legal proceedings, the term Beschuldigter is often preferred over Verbrecher until a final verdict is reached to maintain the presumption of innocence.
- The word Verbrecher is often used in German news headlines to create a sense of drama or danger, whereas Straftäter is used for dry, statistical reporting.
Examples in context
- Ich war ein Verbrecher.I was a criminal.This sentence is useful for practicing the word Verbrecher.Tatoeba #11560934 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4500124 by CK
- Bist du ein Krimineller?Are you a criminal?This sentence is useful for practicing the word Krimineller.Tatoeba #1791503 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1789306 by Spamster
- Er ist kein Krimineller.He's not a criminal.Tatoeba #2301757 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2301440 by Hybrid
- Wir müssen den Verbrecher zur Rechenschaft ziehen.We must hold the criminal accountable.
- Der Ganove hat meine Geldbörse gestohlen!The crook stole my wallet!
- Er entpuppte sich als wahrer Bösewicht.He revealed himself to be a true villain.
- 61 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are watching a detective movie.
- LukasWer ist der Krimineller in diesem Film?Who is the criminal in this movie?
- LauraIch glaube, es ist der Gärtner.I think it is the gardener.
- LukasEr sieht gar nicht wie ein Krimineller aus.He doesn't look like a criminal at all.
- LauraDas ist oft der Trick in Krimis.That is often the trick in crime stories.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “criminal” translations and entries Krimineller, Kriminelle, Verbrecher, Übeltäter, Übeltäterin, Missetäter, Missetäterin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
