der  Verstoß

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/fɛɐ̯ˈʃtoːs/

📖 What Exactly is a 'Verstoß'?

Der Verstoß (noun, masculine) refers to an action that goes against a rule (Regel), law (Gesetz), regulation (Vorschrift), or norm (Norm). It represents a violation, offense, or infringement of established provisions or expectations.

Typical contexts include:

• Legal sphere: An act violating a law, e.g., a traffic violation (Verkehrsverstoß), a regulatory offense (Ordnungswidrigkeit). ⚠️ Note: A Verstoß is often less serious than a Verbrechen (crime).
• Sports sphere: A rule violation during a game, e.g., a foul (Foul).
• Social/Moral sphere: Behavior that violates unwritten social norms or ethical principles, e.g., a violation of good manners (ein Verstoß gegen die guten Sitten).

There is only this one article, der, for Verstoß, which makes its assignment clear.

📐 Grammar Check: Declining 'der Verstoß' Correctly

The noun "Verstoß" is masculine and follows the strong declension pattern.

Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)

1. Das Falschparken ist ein häufiger Verstoß gegen die Straßenverkehrsordnung.
   (Parking illegally is a common violation of traffic regulations.)
2. Wegen wiederholter Verstöße gegen die Hausordnung wurde ihm gekündigt.
   (He was terminated due to repeated violations of the house rules.)
3. Der Schiedsrichter ahndete den Verstoß mit einer gelben Karte.
   (The referee penalized the offense with a yellow card.)
4. Ein Verstoß gegen das Datenschutzgesetz kann teuer werden.
   (A violation of the data protection act can be expensive.)
5. Sie warfen ihm einen schweren Verstoß gegen ethische Prinzipien vor.
   (They accused him of a serious violation of ethical principles.)

🗣️ When to Use 'Verstoß'? Usage in Context

"Verstoß" is used when a specific rule or norm is broken. The term often has a formal tone and is frequently found in legal (juristisch), administrative (behördlich), or sporting (sportlich) contexts.

• In everyday life: People are more likely to talk about a "Fehler" (mistake) or "etwas falsch machen" (doing something wrong) for minor, informal rule-breaking. "Verstoß" sounds more official. Example: "Du hast gegen die Spielregeln verstoßen" (You violated the game rules - more formal) vs. "Du hast einen Fehler gemacht" (You made a mistake - more informal).
• Distinction from Crime (Verbrechen): A Verstoß (often an Ordnungswidrigkeit - administrative offense) is generally less serious than a Verbrechen (crime, felony). Illegal parking (Falschparken) is a Verstoß; theft (Diebstahl) is a Verbrechen.
• Typical Collocations: ein schwerer/leichter Verstoß (a serious/minor violation), ein Verstoß gegen das Gesetz/die Regeln/die Vorschriften (a violation against the law/the rules/the regulations), ein Verstoß wird geahndet/bestraft (a violation is penalized/punished).

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Verstoß'

• Article Mnemonic (der): Think of things that often cause trouble or are associated with rules, which are sometimes stereotypically masculine roles in older contexts: der Polizist (policeman), der Richter (judge), der Regelbrecher (rule-breaker) – they all deal with der Verstoß. Or, link it to the related word der Stoß (the push, the bump) – a Verstoß is like an unwanted bump against the rules. Both are 'der'.
• Meaning Mnemonic: The word contains "stoß" which sounds like "stoss" or "push" in English. Imagine someone forcefully pushing (stoßen) against a boundary or rule – that's a Verstoß (violation).

↔️ Opposites & Similarities: Synonyms and Antonyms for Verstoß

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Fehler: (Mistake, error) - More like an error, inaccuracy, not necessarily an intentional rule break.
• Irrtum: (Error, mistake, fallacy) - A false assumption or opinion.
• Vergehen: (Misdemeanor, offense) - A criminal offense, usually less serious than a Verbrechen but more serious than an Ordnungswidrigkeit/Verstoß.
• Verbrechen: (Crime, felony) - A serious criminal offense.

😄 A Little Joke

Warum wurde der Bleistift angezeigt?
(Why was the pencil reported?)

Wegen eines Verstoßes gegen die Spitzfindigkeitsregeln! 😉
(Because of a violation of the 'sharp'-wittedness rules! - A pun on 'spitz' meaning sharp/pointed and 'Spitzfindigkeit' meaning quibbling/sophistry)

✍️ Poem about an Offense

Die Regel klar, der Weg bekannt,
(The rule clear, the path known,)
doch einer schritt aus Rand und Band.
(but someone stepped out of bounds.)
Ein kleiner Schritt, ein falscher Zug,
(A small step, a wrong move,)
der Verstoß war schnell genug.
(the violation was quick enough.)
Ob Absicht oder nur verseh'n,
(Whether intentional or just by mistake,)
die Konsequenz muss er nun seh'n.
(he now must face the consequence.)

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Bruch, doch nicht aus Glas,
(I am a break/breach, but not made of glass,)
passier' im Sport, im Recht, auf der Straß'.
(I happen in sports, in law, on the street.)
Man ahndet mich, mal klein, mal groß,
(I am penalized, sometimes small, sometimes big,)
man nennt mich meistens nur... ?
(Usually, they just call me... ?)

Lösung/Solution: der Verstoß

ℹ️ Interesting Facts about 'der Verstoß'

Word Formation (Wortbildung):

The word "Verstoß" is a verbal noun (Verbalsubstantiv), derived from the verb verstoßen (to offend, to violate, to expel). The prefix ver- often indicates a faulty or negative action in German, and stoßen (to push, bump, strike) describes the action itself – one 'pushes' against a boundary or rule.

Interesting Note (Interessant):

German law distinguishes finely between different types of rule-breaking:

• Ordnungswidrigkeit: A minor administrative offense, often punished with a fine (Bußgeld), e.g., illegal parking.
• Vergehen: A misdemeanor, a criminal offense with a lower penalty range, e.g., simple assault, theft of low-value items.
• Verbrechen: A felony, a serious criminal offense with a higher minimum penalty, e.g., murder, robbery.

So, a "Verstoß" can be an Ordnungswidrigkeit or sometimes a Vergehen, depending on the context and severity.