eyewitness
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eyewitness
A person who has seen an event, especially an accident or a crime, with their own eyes and can report on it.
Die Polizei befragt einen Augenzeugen, um den Hergang des Unfalls zu klären.
The police are questioning an eyewitness to clarify how the accident happened.
The word is built very logically. It consists of 'Auge' (eye) and 'Zeuge' (witness). So an 'Augenzeuge' (eyewitness) is a person who has witnessed something with their own eyes.
Ein Augenzeuge konnte der Polizei eine genaue Beschreibung des Täters geben.
An eyewitness was able to give the police an exact description of the perpetrator.
The term 'Augenzeuge' (eyewitness) is almost always used in connection with accidents, crimes, or other important events. It often appears together with words like 'Polizei' (police), 'Gericht' (court), or 'Bericht' (report).
Die Polizei bittet mögliche Augenzeugen des Vorfalls, sich zu melden.
The police are asking possible eyewitnesses to the incident to come forward.
To name the witnessed event, German often uses the genitive or the preposition 'von' with the dative. Both forms are correct.
Sie war Augenzeugin des Raubüberfalls.
She was an eyewitness to the robbery.
spectator / viewer
'der Zuschauer' and 'der Augenzeuge' both describe people who see something. The difference lies in the situation and the purpose. A 'Zuschauer' deliberately watches an event, a performance, or a broadcast, for example a game or a film. An 'Augenzeuge' has seen an important event with their own eyes and can report on it, often in the case of an accident or a crime. The words can be confused because both people observe something. But 'Zuschauer' fits better with entertainment or planned events, while 'Augenzeuge' fits better with incidents that someone can later give information about.
Ein Augenzeuge erzählte der Polizei, wie der Unfall passiert ist.
An eyewitness told the police how the accident happened.
Beim Fußballspiel jubelten die Zuschauer nach dem ersten Tor.
At the football match, the spectators cheered after the first goal.