das  Eingeständnis

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaɪnɡəˌʃtɛndnɪs/

🎯 What Exactly is an Eingeständnis?

Das Eingeständnis (noun, neuter) refers to the act or statement by which someone admits or concedes something, especially guilt, a mistake, a weakness, or an unpleasant truth. It's the acceptance and articulation of something one might have preferred to keep quiet.

It is a noun derived from the verb eingestehen (to admit, to confess). It only takes the article das.

Example: Sein Eingeständnis kam überraschend, aber es klärte die Situation. (His admission came as a surprise, but it clarified the situation.)

🧐 Grammar Under the Microscope: Das Eingeständnis

The word "Eingeständnis" is a noun of neuter gender (sächlich).

Note: The Dative Singular can also take the form "Eingeständnisse", but this is less common and often sounds somewhat elevated or older.

📝 Application Examples

1. Nach langem Zögern machte er endlich ein Eingeständnis seiner Schuld. (After long hesitation, he finally made an admission of his guilt.)
2. Das Eingeständnis, einen Fehler gemacht zu haben, fiel ihr schwer. (The admission of having made a mistake was difficult for her.)
3. Mehrere Eingeständnisse führten zur Aufklärung des Falls. (Several admissions led to the clarification of the case.)
4. In seinem Brief fand sich ein indirektes Eingeständnis der Niederlage. (In his letter, there was an indirect admission of defeat.)

🗣️ When to Use Eingeständnis?

The term das Eingeständnis is often used when it comes to admitting facts that are negative or uncomfortable for the person themselves. It can relate to personal mistakes, weaknesses, but also to legally relevant acts.

• Formal Context: Often used in legal, political, or official contexts (e.g., ein gerichtliches Eingeständnis - a judicial admission).
• Personal Context: Also used in private life when someone admits something important or burdensome.
• Distinction from "Geständnis": While "Geständnis" (das) is often more strongly associated with criminal acts (e.g., ein Mordgeständnis - a murder confession), "Eingeständnis" is somewhat more general and can also be used for less serious admissions, like admitting an error or a misjudgment. An "Eingeständnis" might only concern a partial aspect, whereas a "Geständnis" is often more comprehensive.
• Distinction from "Zugeständnis": A "Zugeständnis" (das) rather means conceding a point or partially agreeing with another party in a negotiation or discussion, without necessarily admitting one's own fault or error. It translates more closely to concession.

⚠️ Avoid using "Eingeständnis" for trivial concessions. It usually implies a certain gravity or significance.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic (das): Think of an admission often being something neutral or factual – like a fact laid on the table. Facts are often "das" Ding (the thing). So: das Faktum -> das Eingeständnis. Alternatively, many nouns ending in '-nis' are neuter ('das') or feminine ('die'), and 'das' fits here.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone standing (stehen) IN front of you (ein) to confess something. They make an Ein-geständnis.

↔️ Similar and Opposite: Synonyms & Antonyms

🚨 Caution: The word "Zugeständnis" is sometimes mistakenly used as a synonym, but its primary meaning is making a concession or compromising in a negotiation.

😂 A Little Joke

Richter: "Machen Sie endlich ein Eingeständnis! Wo haben Sie das Geld versteckt?"
Angeklagter: "Herr Richter, wenn ich das wüsste, hätte ich doch längst meinen Anwalt bezahlt!"

Translation:
Judge: "Make an admission already! Where did you hide the money?"
Defendant: "Your Honor, if I knew that, I would have paid my lawyer long ago!"

📜 A Poem for the Word

Schwer wiegt die Last, die Wahrheit drückt,
Ein Zögern nur, ein Blick zurück.
Doch dann die Worte, klar und rein,
Das Eingeständnis stellt sich ein.
Es mag befrei'n, es mag auch schmerzen,
Doch Ehrlichkeit wohnt tief im Herzen.

Translation:
Heavy weighs the burden, the truth presses down,
Just hesitation, a backward glance, a frown.
But then the words, clear and pure,
The admission makes itself secure.
It may liberate, it may also sting,
But honesty resides deep within.

🕵️‍♀️ Little Riddle

Ich bin kein Dieb, doch geb' ich zu.
Ich bin kein Richter, doch bring' ans Licht die Ruh'.
Ich komme oft schwer über die Lippen,
kann aber helfen, Klippen zu umschiffen.

Was bin ich?

Translation:
I am no thief, yet I admit.
I am no judge, yet bring peace to light, bit by bit.
I often pass the lips with difficulty,
but can help to navigate calamity.

What am I?

Solution: Das Eingeständnis (The admission / confession)

🧩 Word Components and More

Word Composition:

The word "Eingeständnis" is a noun composed of several parts:

• ein-: A prefix that here suggests a kind of inward movement or beginning (like in eingehen - to enter into, einsehen - to realize/understand).
• geständ-: The stem of the verb "gestehen" (to confess, to admit).
• -nis: A suffix used to form nouns from verbs, often denoting a state, result, or action (like in Ergebnis - result, Zeugnis - certificate/testimony, Geheimnis - secret). Many nouns ending in "-nis" are neuter ('das') or feminine ('die').

So, together it signifies the act of confessing or its result – the statement that has been admitted.