die  Anschuldigung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈanʃʊldɪɡʊŋ/

🤔 What exactly is an Anschuldigung?

Die Anschuldigung (noun, feminine) means an accusation, allegation, or charge against a person or group. It's the claim that someone has done something wrong, forbidden, or morally incorrect.

An Anschuldigung can be formal (e.g., in court as an indictment) or informal (e.g., in a private conversation). It often implies a negative judgment of the accused person's behavior.

Important: An Anschuldigung is initially just a claim and not yet proof of guilt. ☝️

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Die Anschuldigung in Detail

The noun 'Anschuldigung' is feminine. The correct article is therefore 'die'. Like most feminine nouns ending in '-ung', it follows a regular declension pattern.

📝 Application Examples

1. Die Anschuldigung des Diebstahls wies er entschieden zurück.
   (He firmly rejected the accusation of theft.)
2. Gegen den Politiker wurden schwere Anschuldigungen erhoben.
   (Serious allegations were made against the politician.)
3. Sie konnte die haltlose Anschuldigung nicht auf sich sitzen lassen.
   (She couldn't tolerate the baseless accusation.)
4. Es ist wichtig, jede Anschuldigung genau zu prüfen.
   (It is important to examine every accusation carefully.)

💬 How to use 'Anschuldigung'?

'Die Anschuldigung' is frequently used in contexts discussing misconduct, offenses, or crimes. This can be in legal, political, professional, or private settings.

• Typical Verbs: eine Anschuldigung erheben (to make/raise), vorbringen (to bring forward), zurückweisen (to reject), entkräften (to refute), prüfen (to examine), untersuchen (to investigate).
• Typical Adjectives: eine schwere (serious), leichte (minor), falsche (false), haltlose (baseless), öffentliche (public), anonyme (anonymous) Anschuldigung.
• Context: Often related to court proceedings, investigations, disputes, or debates.

Difference to 'Verdacht' (Suspicion): A Verdacht is a suspicion that someone might have done something. An Anschuldigung is a more concrete claim or accusation.

Difference to 'Klage' (Lawsuit/Charge): A Klage is a formal accusation before a court, aiming to start a legal dispute (lawsuit) or specifically the formal charge in a criminal proceeding (indictment).

🧠 Mnemonics for Anschuldigung

Article Mnemonic: Most German nouns ending in "-ung" are feminine. Remember: The ending "-ung" makes the word feminine -> die Anschuldigung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone pointing at (an) you, saying you are guilty (schuldig). The result or action (-ung) of this is the An-schuldig-ung (accusation).

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Although 'Unterstellung' sounds similar, it often implies an unproven or even fabricated claim, whereas 'Anschuldigung' can also be justified.

😄 A little Joke

Warum nimmt der skeptische Anwalt immer einen Regenschirm mit ins Gericht? ☂️
... Falls es Anschuldigungen regnet!

(Why does the skeptical lawyer always take an umbrella to court? ☂️
... In case it's raining accusations!)

✍️ Poem about Accusation

Ein Wort, gesprochen schnell und laut,
hat oft Vertrauen schon zerhaut.
Ein Finger zeigt, ein Blick so kalt,
die Anschuldigung nimmt Gestalt.
Ob wahr, ob falsch, sie schwebt im Raum,
zerstört so manchen Lebenstraum.
Drum wäge ab, bevor du sprichst,
damit kein Unrecht du anrichst.

(A word, spoken quickly and loud,
has often shattered trust already.
A finger points, a gaze so cold,
the accusation takes its hold.
Whether true or false, it hangs in space,
destroying many a life's dream, displacing grace.
So weigh your words before you speak,
lest injustice is what you wreak.)

🕵️‍♀️ Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Vorwurf, oft nicht nett,
manchmal vor Gericht, manchmal im privaten Zett.
Man kann mich machen, kann mich hören,
man kann sich gegen mich auch wehren.
Ich trage "-ung" am End' und bin feminin.
Was bin ich wohl, mit ernstem Sinn?

(I am an accusation, often not nice,
sometimes in court, sometimes in private advice.
You can make me, you can hear me,
you can also defend against me, clearly.
I carry "-ung" at the end and am feminine.
What am I, with a serious spin?)

Solution: Die Anschuldigung (The accusation)

🧩 Word Components & More

The word 'Anschuldigung' is composed of:

• an-: Prefix indicating direction or action towards (accusing someone of something).
• schuldig: Adjective (base word), meaning 'guilty', 'responsible for something negative'.
• -ung: Suffix that forms feminine nouns from verbs or adjectives, indicating a process, state, or its result. Here: the act of accusing or the result thereof.