der
Mittäter
🕵️ What does "der Mittäter" mean?
Der Mittäter refers to a person who plans and/or commits a crime together with one or more other people. So, it means an accomplice or accessory to a crime.
In German criminal law, a Mittäter is someone who wants the crime as their own and makes a significant contribution to its commission. They are generally punished the same way as the main perpetrator (der Haupttäter).
The word is masculine (maskulin). The feminine form is die Mittäterin.
⚠️ It's important to distinguish the Mittäter from a Gehilfe (aider, abettor), who merely assists in the crime but doesn't consider it their own.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
-er → mostly masculine.
1. Caution: many exceptions. 2. almost all -euer nouns are neutral. 3. There are many -er words, we don't list them all.
🧐 Grammar: Declension of "Mittäter"
"Der Mittäter" is a weak noun (schwaches Nomen), also known as n-declension. This means it takes an "-n" ending in all cases except the nominative singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Mittäter |
| Genitive | des | Mittätern |
| Dative | dem | Mittätern |
| Accusative | den | Mittätern |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Mittäter |
| Genitive | der | Mittäter |
| Dative | den | Mittätern |
| Accusative | die | Mittäter |
Example Sentences to Clarify
- Die Polizei sucht nach dem Mittäter des Bankräubers.
(The police are looking for the bank robber's accomplice.) - Die Aussage des Mittätern belastete den Hauptangeklagten schwer.
(The accomplice's statement heavily implicated the main defendant.) - Das Gericht verurteilte ihn als Mittäter zu einer langen Haftstrafe.
(The court sentenced him as an accomplice to a long prison term.) - Man konnte den Mittäter identifizieren, aber noch nicht fassen.
(They could identify the accomplice, but haven't caught him yet.) - Beide Mittäter wurden auf frischer Tat ertappt.
(Both accomplices were caught red-handed.)
🗣️ How is "Mittäter" used?
The term "Mittäter" is used almost exclusively in a legal or criminal context. It describes a person who is actively involved in the planning or execution of a crime (Straftat).
- Typical Contexts: Police reports (Polizeiberichte), court proceedings (Gerichtsverfahren), news about crimes, crime novels (Krimis).
- Distinction: A Mittäter is more than just a Helfer (helper) or Gehilfe (aider). They act with the intent of a perpetrator (Täterwille) and make a significant contribution to the crime. The Haupttäter (main perpetrator) is often the driving force, but accomplices bear similar responsibility.
- Usage Note: People often speak of "mutmaßliche Mittäter" (alleged accomplices) until guilt is proven.
💡 Mnemonics to Remember
-
Article: Imagine DER detective chasing DEN Mittäter. The action (crime) requires active masculine energy (der Täter, der Mittäter). Remember the 'DER' connection for masculine nouns.
-
Meaning: Think of "Mit-Täter". 'Mit' means 'with' in German. So, a Mittäter is someone who commits the crime with someone else. They are 'with' the perpetrator.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Komplize / Komplizin: (Accomplice) Very common synonym, often interchangeable.
- Beteiligter / Beteiligte: (Participant, involved person) More general, can also refer to someone less actively involved.
- Helfershelfer / Helfershelferin: (Accomplice, henchman) More colloquial, often slightly pejorative.
- Mittäterin: (Female accomplice) Feminine form.
- Tatgenosse / Tatgenossin: (Fellow perpetrator) Somewhat dated, but still understandable.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
- Opfer: (Victim) The person harmed by the crime.
- Zeuge / Zeugin: (Witness) A person who observed the crime but was not involved.
- Unbeteiligter / Unbeteiligte: (Uninvolved person, bystander) Someone who has nothing to do with the crime.
- Alleiniger Täter / Alleinige Täterin: (Sole perpetrator) Someone who committed the crime without accomplices.
🚨 Be careful with Mitwisser / Mitwisserin: This is someone who knows about the crime (knowledgeable party) but is not necessarily involved in committing it. The legal assessment can differ here.
😂 A Little Joke
German:
Fragt der Richter den Angeklagten: "Hatten Sie einen Mittäter?"
Antwortet der Angeklagte: "Nein, Herr Richter, ich stehle immer allein. Bei Mittätern muss man ja die Beute teilen!"
English Translation:
The judge asks the defendant: "Did you have an accomplice (Mittäter)?"
The defendant replies: "No, Your Honor, I always steal alone. With accomplices, you have to share the loot!"
📜 Poem about the Accomplice
German:
Im Schatten, leis und ungesehn,
Zwei planen, was bald soll geschehn.
Der eine führt, der andre folgt,
Als Mittäter wird's ihm ausgelegt.
Gemeinsam handeln, Hand in Hand,
Verbunden durch ein dunkles Band.
Doch Recht kennt keine Zweisamkeit,
Vor Strafe sind sie nicht gefeit.
English Translation:
In shadow, quiet and unseen,
Two plan what soon will convene.
One leads the way, the other follows near,
As an accomplice (Mittäter), his role is clear.
Acting together, hand in hand,
Connected by a dark command.
But justice knows no pair alone,
From punishment, they can't postpone.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich bin nicht allein, wenn Unrecht geschieht,
Ich helfe dem Täter, sing' mit ihm das Lied.
Vor Gericht steh' ich oft neben ihm,
Mein Beitrag zur Tat war alles andre als gering.
Wer bin ich?
English Translation:
I'm not alone when wrongdoing occurs,
I help the perpetrator, joining in the verse.
In court, I often stand beside him near,
My contribution to the deed was far from mere.
Who am I? (Solution: Der Mittäter / The Accomplice)
➕ Other Information
- Word Composition: The word is composed of the preposition "mit" (meaning with, together, jointly) and the noun "Täter" (perpetrator, offender).
- Feminine Form: The feminine form is "die Mittäterin", plural "die Mittäterinnen". It follows the same declension pattern (weak declension).
- Legal Nuances: The precise definition and distinction between accomplice (Mittäter), instigator (Anstifter), and aider/abettor (Gehilfe) is a complex legal topic in German law (see § 25 StGB - German Criminal Code).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Mittäter?
The word "Mittäter" is masculine, so the correct article is der (der Mittäter). It refers to a person who commits a crime together with others (an accomplice) and follows the weak N-declension.