to insist
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to insist
To assert something emphatically and repeatedly in order to convince someone of the truth of a statement or the sincerity of an intention.
Er beteuerte seine Unschuld, aber die Beweise sprachen gegen ihn.
He insisted on his innocence, but the evidence was against him.
'Beteuern' (to insist/assert) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'be-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem in all tenses and sentence constructions.
Obwohl er es beteuerte, glaubte ihm niemand.
Although he insisted on it, no one believed him.
The verb can be constructed in three ways: with an accusative object, with a dative and accusative object, or with a 'dass' (that) clause.
Er beteuerte seine ehrlichen Absichten.
He insisted on his honest intentions.
People often 'beteuern' (insist on/assert) things that are difficult to prove and require trust. Typical nouns are 'seine Unschuld' (his innocence), 'seine Liebe' (his love), 'seine Loyalität' (his loyalty), or 'seine guten Absichten' (his good intentions).
Vor Gericht beteuerte der Angeklagte immer wieder seine Unschuld.
In court, the defendant repeatedly insisted on his innocence.
'Beteuern' (to insist/assert) is a formal word. It is mainly used in written language or in serious, official conversations.
In dem Brief beteuerte er, wie sehr er die Entscheidung bedauere.
In the letter, he insisted how much he regretted the decision.
to claim / assert
'behaupten' and 'beteuern' are both used when someone says that something is true. The difference lies in the tone and the situation. 'behaupten' often sounds neutral or slightly doubtful: someone says something, but there may be no proof. 'beteuern' is stronger. It means that someone insists on something very emphatically, often because others have doubts or need to be convinced. If only a statement is meant, 'behaupten' is more suitable. If someone strongly emphasizes their honesty or innocence, 'beteuern' is more precise.
Sie beteuert immer wieder, dass sie den Schlüssel nicht verloren hat.
She keeps insisting that she did not lose the key.
Der Schüler behauptet, dass der Bus wegen des Wetters zu spät gekommen ist.
The student claims that the bus was late because of the weather.