to admonish
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to admonish
To remind someone of their duties emphatically, but without direct punishment, or to urge them to change a certain behavior. An admonition is more serious than a request, but often less formal than an official warning.
Der Richter ermahnte den Zeugen, die Wahrheit zu sagen.
The judge admonished the witness to tell the truth.
'Ermahnen' (to admonish) begins with the prefix 'er-' and is therefore an inseparable verb. The prefix remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and tenses.
Er hat seinen Sohn ermahnt, ordentlicher zu sein.
He admonished his son to be tidier.
The typical sentence structure is: 'jemanden (Akkusativ) ermahnen, etwas zu tun' (to admonish someone [accusative] to do something). The verb and the person being admonished are often followed by an infinitive construction with 'zu'.
Die Mutter ermahnte ihre Kinder, nicht so laut zu spielen.
The mother admonished her children not to play so loudly.
This word belongs to a formal register. It is often found in written language or in official contexts (e.g., school, court). It is rarely used in everyday conversation.
Der Lehrer ermahnte die Klasse zur Ruhe.
The teacher admonished the class to be quiet.
to warn
Warnen and ermahnen can both emphatically deter someone from doing something risky. Warnen emphasizes the specific danger or possible consequence. Ermahnen focuses more on the person and urges them to change their behavior or fulfill their duties.
Die Mutter ermahnte das Kind, am Beckenrand nicht zu rennen.
The mother admonished the child not to run along the edge of the pool.
Die Mutter warnte das Kind vor dem tiefen Wasser im Becken.
The mother warned the child about the deep water in the pool.
