der Einbrecher
burglar
A person who illegally enters a building in order to steal things.
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei konnte den Einbrecher auf frischer Tat ertappen.
The police were able to catch the burglar in the act.
der Einbrecher
burglar
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is derived from the separable verb 'einbrechen' (to break in). The prefix 'ein-' means 'in' or 'into', 'brechen' describes the forceful action, and the ending '-er' refers to the male person who carries out this action.
EXAMPLE
Jemand hat versucht, in unsere Wohnung einzubrechen.
Someone tried to break into our apartment.
Word family
'Der Einbrecher' (the burglar) belongs to a word family. The verb is 'einbrechen' (to break in), and the act itself is called 'der Einbruch' (the break-in/burglary). When you learn one word, the others become easier to learn too.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Einbruch fehlten Schmuck und Bargeld.
After the burglary, jewelry and cash were missing.
Typical collocations
In connection with the police, people often talk about 'fassen' (catching), 'stellen' (cornering/confronting), or 'verhaften' (arresting) a burglar.
EXAMPLE
Der aufmerksame Nachbar half der Polizei, den Einbrecher zu fassen.
The alert neighbor helped the police catch the burglar.
Compare with
Einbrecher vs Räuber
robber
Räuber and Einbrecher can refer to the same person if that person enters a building and threatens someone inside. Räuber emphasizes violence or threats when taking something, while Einbrecher emphasizes entering without permission with the intention of stealing.
Einbrecher
Durch ein Kellerfenster drang der Einbrecher in das leere Haus ein und stahl Schmuck.
The burglar entered the empty house through a basement window and stole jewelry.
Räuber
Im Haus bedrohte der Räuber die Bewohner und zwang sie, ihm ihren Schmuck zu geben.
Inside the house, the robber threatened the residents and forced them to give him their jewelry.
In real life
Loading video examples...