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
begehen
to celebrate
To celebrate or observe an anniversary, holiday, or special event in a particular way.
EXAMPLE
Nächstes Jahr begehen wir unser 25-jähriges Firmenjubiläum.
Next year we will celebrate our company's 25th anniversary.
begehen
to inspect
To enter and walk through a place, site, or building, often in order to inspect or check it.
EXAMPLE
Der Architekt begeht die Baustelle einmal pro Woche, um den Fortschritt zu kontrollieren.
The architect inspects the construction site once a week to check the progress.
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 feiern
to celebrate
Both words can refer to a special occasion. „Feiern“ is more general and usually suggests a cheerful celebration, while „begehen“ sounds more formal and can also refer to observing an occasion ceremonially, without an exuberant party. „Feiern“ is more suitable for a party, while „begehen“ is often used for a formal occasion.
begehen
Die Stadt begeht das Jubiläum am Samstag mit einer offiziellen Gedenkfeier.
The city is observing the anniversary with an official memorial ceremony on Saturday.
feiern
Wir feiern das Jubiläum am Samstag mit einem großen Fest.
We’re celebrating the anniversary with a big party on Saturday.
In real life
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