to search
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to search
To search a place, person, or thing systematically and thoroughly in order to find something or someone. This verb is inseparable.
Die Polizei durchsuchte die Wohnung des Verdächtigen nach Beweismitteln.
The police searched the suspect's apartment for evidence.
to search
In computing, to search a large amount of data (e.g., a database, a hard drive, or the Internet) specifically for information. This verb is inseparable.
Ich habe meine gesamten E-Mails nach der Buchungsbestätigung durchsucht.
I searched all my emails for the booking confirmation.
'Durchsuchen' (to search) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'durch-' always stays attached to the verb, even in main clauses. The past participle is formed without 'ge-': 'durchsucht'.
Der Zollbeamte durchsucht meinen Koffer.
The customs officer searches my suitcase.
The thing being searched is in the accusative. The thing you hope to find is connected with the preposition 'nach' and the dative.
Ich durchsuche die Festplatte (Akkusativ) nach einem alten Foto (Dativ).
I am searching the hard drive (accusative) for an old photo (dative).
In the physical meaning, the verb is often used with places or objects such as 'Wohnung' (apartment), 'Haus' (house), 'Gepäck' (luggage), or 'Fahrzeug' (vehicle). The context is often an inspection by police, customs, or security personnel.
Am Flughafen wurde mein Rucksack gründlich durchsucht.
At the airport, my backpack was searched thoroughly.
In a digital context, typical objects are 'die Festplatte' (the hard drive), 'die Datenbank' (the database), 'die E-Mails' (the emails), or 'das Internet' (the Internet). It is always about searching for digital information.
Kannst du bitte deine E-Mails nach der Adresse durchsuchen?
Could you please search your emails for the address?
to search / look for
Both words can describe finding a file on digital storage. With „suchen“, the thing being sought is the focus, and the search area is usually named with „nach“; „durchsuchen“ makes the storage itself the direct object of a systematic search.
Ich durchsuche die Festplatte nach der Datei.
I am searching the hard drive for the file.
Ich suche auf der Festplatte nach der Datei.
I am looking for the file on the hard drive.
