21 December 2025
How do you say perpetrator in German?
It’s the one who committed the crime, carried out the act, or made something happen - often when something has gone wrong. In German, it’s der Täter. This is your German Word of the Day - serious, legal, and a word you’ll hear in crime reports, news, and courtroom dramas.
The noun Täter means perpetrator or offender, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s most common in legal, journalistic, and investigative contexts.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Täter (want to understand gender without guessing? Our video lesson teaches you how to spot it with confidence).
Pronunciation
Täter is pronounced [TEH-tuh]
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Tä like “teh” with a long ä (like in “air”)
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The final -er is usually lightly vocalized, roughly like the a in sofa; pronunciation varies by speaker.
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Stress on the first syllable: TÄter
Example sentences
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Die Polizei konnte den Täter festnehmen.The police were able to arrest the perpetrator.
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Der Täter ist noch auf der Flucht.The perpetrator is still on the run.
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Die Identität des Täters ist bekannt.The perpetrator’s identity is known.
Nuance and usage tips
Täter identifies the person who committed an act, usually a crime. Calling someone a Täter implies responsibility; for someone merely suspected, use Tatverdächtiger or mutmaßlicher Täter.
🕵️♂️ Related legal and journalistic terms:
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Tat - the act or deed (often criminal): auf frischer Tat ertappt = caught red-handed
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Täterprofil - offender profile
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Mehrfachtäter - repeat offender
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Mittäter - accomplice / co-perpetrator
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Täterbeschreibung - suspect description
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unbekannter Täter - unknown perpetrator
Tatverdächtige(r) - suspect (the term before anything is proven) -
mutmaßlicher Täter - suspected perpetrator
🧍♀️ Feminine form: die Täterin
Note: In casual speech, people might say Typ, Kerl, or even Idiot, but Täter stays formal and identifies the person responsible for the act.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
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“Der Täter hat Spuren am Tatort hinterlassen.”The perpetrator left traces at the crime scene.
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“Haben sie den Täter gefunden?”Did they find the perpetrator?
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“Der Täter hat sich der Polizei gestellt.”The perpetrator turned himself in.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Paula: Hast du die Nachrichten gesehen?Max: Ja - sie haben endlich den Täter gefasst.Paula: Echt? Wie haben sie ihn gefunden?Max: Jemand hat ihn auf einem Foto erkannt.
Translation:Paula: Did you see the news?Max: Yeah - they finally caught the perpetrator.Paula: Really? How did they find him?Max: Someone recognized him in a photo.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:Der Täter wurde schnell gefunden.The perpetrator was found quickly.
Accusative:Die Polizei sucht den Täter.The police are looking for the perpetrator.
Dative:Die Zeugin zeigte dem Täter keine Angst.The witness showed no fear of the perpetrator.
Genitive:Die Spuren des Täters führten zum Wald.The perpetrator’s tracks led to the forest.
Word variations and language tidbits
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Täterwissen - knowledge only the perpetrator could have
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Täter-Opfer-Ausgleich - victim-offender mediation
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Serientäter - serial offender
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Täterkreis - group of perpetrators
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Tätertypologie - typology of offenders (used in criminology)
🧠 Fun fact: In German news coverage, suspects are often referred to as mutmaßlicher Täter (“alleged perpetrator”) until they are convicted, reflecting the strong legal presumption of innocence.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Taeter🎥 Want to be the “perpetrator” of great German learning? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns with context, clarity, and grammar you’ll retain.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Tempel means? Some Täter hide behind them in crime stories.And what about Teller? A missing one might be the clue that leads to the Täter.
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