die
Fahndung
👮♀️ What exactly is a Fahndung?
Die Fahndung (feminine, article 'die') refers to the systematic, organized search for people (e.g., criminals, suspects, or missing persons) or, less commonly, for objects by authorities, especially the police. It's an official term used in law enforcement and security contexts.
There's only this one meaning and the article 'die'. No risk of confusion with other articles. 🚨 It translates roughly to 'search', 'manhunt', or 'investigation' depending on context.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
🧐 Grammar of 'die Fahndung' in Detail
The word 'Fahndung' is a feminine noun. It is mainly used in the singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Fahndung |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Fahndung |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Fahndung |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Fahndung |
The plural 'die Fahndungen' is rare but can be used to refer to multiple separate search operations.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Fahndungen |
| Genitive | der | Fahndungen |
| Dative | den | Fahndungen |
| Accusative | die | Fahndungen |
Example Sentences:
- Die Polizei hat eine bundesweite Fahndung nach dem Bankräuber eingeleitet. (The police initiated a nationwide search for the bank robber.)
- Die Fahndung nach der vermissten Person blieb bisher erfolglos. (The search for the missing person has been unsuccessful so far.)
- Wegen mehrerer Einbrüche gab es in der Region intensive Fahndungen. (Due to several burglaries, there were intensive searches in the region.)
💡 Usage and Context
The term 'Fahndung' is used almost exclusively in the official context of police, justice, and media reporting related to them.
- Typical Uses: eine Fahndung einleiten (to initiate a search), die Fahndung läuft (the search is ongoing), öffentliche Fahndung (public appeal for information/search), internationale Fahndung (international manhunt), Fahndung nach Zeugen (search for witnesses).
- Context: Law enforcement, searching for missing persons, security measures.
- Distinction: A simple 'Suche' (die Suche - the search) is more general and can refer to anything (searching for keys, job search). 'Fahndung' always implies an official, often police-led, action to find a person.
🧠 Mnemonics for Fahndung
Article Mnemonic: Think of 'die' Polizei (the police) – die Polizei carries out die Fahndung. Also, nouns ending in '-ung' in German are almost always feminine ('die').
Meaning Mnemonic: 'Fahndung' sounds a bit like 'find-someone'. In a Fahndung, the police try to find someone.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Die Suche: More general ('search').
- Die Personenfahndung/Personensuche: More specific ('search for a person').
- Die Verbrecherjagd (colloquial): 'Criminal hunt', informal, often sensationalist.
- Die Ermittlung: 'Investigation', broader term including evidence gathering.
- Die Verfolgung: 'Pursuit', can be part of a Fahndung if the location is known.
Antonyms (Opposites):
A direct antonym is difficult. One could describe the opposite situation:
- Die Nichtfahndung: The absence of a search.
- Die Einstellung der Fahndung: The cessation/calling off of the search.
- Das Untertauchen/Die Flucht (from the perspective of the wanted person): Going into hiding / Escape.
⚠️ Similar Sounding Words:
- Die Verhandlung: Sounds similar, but means 'court hearing' or 'negotiation'.
- Die Pfändung: 'Seizure' or 'garnishment' of property due to debt.
😂 A Little Joke
Warum hat die Polizei die Fahndung nach dem entlaufenen Mathematiker eingestellt?
Er hat sich in einer Funktion versteckt und war nicht mehr abzuleiten!
(Why did the police call off the search (Fahndung) for the escaped mathematician? He hid in a function and couldn't be derived! - A pun on 'ableiten' meaning both 'to derive' in math and 'to deduce/infer' in investigation.)
📜 Poem about a Fahndung
Die Sirenen heulen in der Nacht,
Eine Fahndung ist entfacht.
Mit Foto, Name, letztem Ort,
Sucht man den Täter hier und dort.
Die Polizei, stets auf der Hut,
Bis man ihn findet, mit neuem Mut.
Ein Netz zieht sich durch Stadt und Land,
Die Fahndung läuft, Hand in Hand.
(Sirens wail in the night,
A search (Fahndung) is ignited.
With photo, name, last known place,
They seek the culprit here and there.
The police, always on guard,
Until found, with renewed heart.
A net spreads through city and country,
The search goes on, hand in hand.)
❓ Riddle
Ich werde ausgerufen, wenn jemand verschwindet,
ob schuldig, vermisst, oder ob man ihn nur bindet.
Die Polizei ist mir auf der Spur,
durchsucht oft Städte, Land und Flur.
Was bin ich?... Die Fahndung
(I am called out when someone disappears,
Whether guilty, missing, or just to quell fears.
The police are on my trail,
Searching cities, land, and dale.
What am I?
... Die Fahndung (the search/manhunt))
🧩 Further Details
Word Composition: The word 'Fahndung' derives from the verb 'fahnden', which means 'to search' or 'to investigate' in a police context. The suffix '-ung' turns the verb into a noun, often indicating a process or result.
Internationale Fahndung: For serious crimes or when the wanted person is likely abroad, an international search (internationale Fahndung) can be issued via organizations like Interpol.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Fahndung?
The word Fahndung is a feminine noun, so it always takes the article die. It describes the official, systematic search for persons conducted by authorities like the police, often translated as 'search' or 'manhunt'.