der  Tatort

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈtatɔʁt/

🔍 What does 'der Tatort' mean?

The term der Tatort (plural: die Tatorte) primarily refers to the place where a crime (a felony or misdemeanour) has occurred. It's the scene of the event, which is crucial for police investigations.

Besides this legal and criminalistic meaning, 'Tatort' is also the title of the most famous and longest-running German-language crime television series, broadcast since 1970. For many Germans, the word is therefore inseparably linked to the Sunday evening TV crime drama.

⚠️ There is only this one article der for the word Tatort.

📚 Grammar Spotlight: Declining 'der Tatort'

'Tatort' is a masculine noun, so it uses the article 'der'. Here's how it declines (changes form) in different grammatical cases:

Example Sentences

1. Die Polizei sperrte den Tatort weiträumig ab.
   (The police cordoned off the crime scene extensively.)
2. Der Kommissar untersuchte Spuren am Tatort.
   (The detective examined clues at the crime scene.)
3. Die Spurensicherung dokumentierte alles am Tatort des Verbrechens.
   (The forensics team documented everything at the scene of the crime.)
4. Am Sonntagabend schauen wir immer den Tatort im Fernsehen.
   (On Sunday evenings, we always watch 'Tatort' on TV.)
5. Es gab mehrere Tatorte in der Stadt.
   (There were several crime scenes in the city.)

🗣️ How to use 'Tatort'?

In a criminalistics context:

• Used to describe the exact location where a criminal act was committed.
• A central term in police reports, news, and court proceedings.
• Example: "Die Waffe wurde in der Nähe des Tatorts gefunden." (The weapon was found near the crime scene.)

As the title of the TV series:

• Very common in everyday language when talking about the TV show.
• Example: "Hast du den neuen Tatort aus Münster gesehen?" (Did you see the new 'Tatort' episode from Münster?)

Distinction from similar words:

• Schauplatz: A more general term for a location where something happened, not necessarily criminal.
• Verbrechensort: Synonym for Tatort, but slightly more formal or specifically emphasizing the crime.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Tatort'

For the article 'der': Think of der Kommissar (the male detective), who rushes to den (masculine accusative) Tatort. Or remember: Der Ort (the place, masculine) where die Tat (the deed, feminine, but the compound noun takes the gender of the last part) happened.

For the meaning: Break down the word: Tat sounds a bit like the English 'deed' or 'act' (often criminal) + Ort means 'place' or 'location'. So, 'Tatort' is the 'place of the deed/crime'.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Richter den Angeklagten: "Waren Sie zur Tatzeit am Tatort?"
Antwortet der Angeklagte: "Herr Richter, wenn ich das vorher gewusst hätte, dass das der Tatort wird, wäre ich sicher nicht dort gewesen!"

Translation:
The judge asks the defendant: "Were you at the crime scene at the time of the crime?"
The defendant answers: "Your Honour, if I had known beforehand that this was going to be the crime scene, I certainly wouldn't have been there!"

📜 Poem about the Tatort

Der Tatort

Flatterband im Wind weht sacht,
Wo Böses wurd' zur späten Nacht.
Der Tatort liegt still und stumm,
Die Spurensuche geht herum.

Kreide markiert, wo jemand lag,
Ein dunkler, ein vergang'ner Tag.
Der Kommissar mit ernster Mien',
Lässt sich die Fakten hier durchziehn.

Doch sonntags, Punkt acht Uhr fünfzehn,
Wird's spannend, wir woll'n nichts vermissen.
Ein andrer Tatort, fiktiv und rein,
Fesselt uns vor dem Fernsehschein.

Translation:
The Crime Scene (Tatort)

Police tape flutters gently in the wind,
Where evil was done late at night.
The crime scene lies quiet and mute,
The search for clues goes about.

Chalk marks where someone lay,
A dark, a bygone day.
The detective with a serious face,
Reviews the facts right in this place.

But Sundays, at quarter past eight sharp,
It gets exciting, we don't want to miss a scrap.
Another 'Tatort', fictional and clean,
Captivates us before the television screen.

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Ort, doch kein Zuhause.
Manchmal bin ich Schauplatz einer grausigen Pause.
Die Polizei kommt oft zu mir geeilt,
Und sonntags werd' ich gern im Fernsehen geteilt.

Was bin ich? (Auflösung: Der Tatort)

Translation:
I am a place, but not a home.
Sometimes I'm the scene of a gruesome pause (or break).
The police often hurry to me,
And on Sundays, I'm gladly shared on TV.

What am I?
(Answer: Der Tatort / The crime scene / The TV show 'Tatort')

✨ Other Interesting Facts

Word Composition:

The word "Tatort" is a compound noun, composed of:

• die Tat (noun): deed, act, often in the sense of a crime
• der Ort (noun): place, location, site

Cultural Significance:

The television series "Tatort" is an integral part of German TV culture. Over more than 50 years, it has featured numerous detective teams in various cities across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It often reflects societal issues and is a regular topic of conversation.