01
begehen
to commit
To carry out a negative or punishable act, such as a mistake, a crime, or suicide.
example
Er hat einen schweren Fehler begangen, als er die Warnungen ignorierte.
He committed a serious mistake when he ignored the warnings.
begehen
to commit / to celebrate
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Begehen' (to commit/to celebrate/to inspect) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'be-' remains firmly attached to the verb 'gehen' (to go) in all sentence forms and is not separated.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen großen Fehler begangen.
He committed a major mistake.
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning of 'begehen' (to commit/to celebrate/to inspect) from the object: Is it something negative (mistake, crime), a celebration (anniversary, holiday), or a place (construction site, grounds)?
EXAMPLE
Der Dieb beging den Einbruch in der Nacht.
The thief committed the break-in at night.
Typical collocations
In this meaning, 'begehen' (to commit) is used almost exclusively with negative actions. Typical phrases are: 'ein Verbrechen begehen' (to commit a crime), 'einen Fehler begehen' (to make/commit a mistake), 'einen Diebstahl begehen' (to commit a theft), or 'Selbstmord begehen' (to commit suicide).
EXAMPLE
Der Täter hat mehrere Straftaten begangen.
The perpetrator committed several criminal offenses.
Register
The use of 'begehen' (to commit) for negative acts belongs to formal language, especially administrative and legal language.
EXAMPLE
Dem Angeklagten wird vorgeworfen, Betrug begangen zu haben.
The defendant is accused of having committed fraud.
Typical collocations
In the sense of 'feiern' (to celebrate), 'begehen' (to celebrate/observe) is used with official or special occasions. Common combinations are: 'ein Jubiläum begehen' (to celebrate an anniversary), 'einen Feiertag begehen' (to observe a holiday), or 'einen Jahrestag begehen' (to mark an anniversary).
EXAMPLE
Die Universität begeht dieses Jahr ihr 100-jähriges Bestehen.
The university is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Usage context
This meaning describes a formal or official walking-through of a place, often for a specific purpose such as an inspection or check.
EXAMPLE
Vor dem Kauf wollten wir die Wohnung noch einmal mit einem Experten begehen.
Before buying it, we wanted to inspect the apartment once more with an expert.
Compare with
begehen vs machen
to do / make
'machen' and 'begehen' can both mean that someone carries out an action. However, 'machen' is very general and neutral. You can use it to describe almost any normal activity. In this meaning, 'begehen' is used mainly for negative or punishable actions, for example with a mistake or a crime. It sounds much more formal than 'machen'. Learners may confuse the words because, for example, you can say both 'einen Fehler machen' and 'einen Fehler begehen' (to make/commit a mistake). In everyday language, 'machen' is usually more natural; 'begehen' fits when the action sounds serious, official, or legal.
begehen
Der Fahrer hat einen schweren Fehler begangen und die rote Ampel übersehen.
The driver committed a serious mistake and missed the red light.
machen
Meine Freundin macht morgen eine Liste für die Reise.
My friend is making a list for the trip tomorrow.
In real life
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