01
ertappen
to catch
To surprise someone while they are doing something forbidden or secret.
example
Die Mutter hat ihre Tochter dabei ertappt, wie sie heimlich Schokolade aß.
The mother caught her daughter secretly eating chocolate.
ertappen
to catch
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Ertappen' (to catch) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'er-' remains firmly connected to the verb stem in all sentence forms and tenses.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat ihn schon oft bei kleinen Lügen ertappt.
She has often caught him telling little lies.
Sentence structure with 'bei'
The most important structure is 'jemanden bei etwas (Dativ) ertappen' (to catch someone doing something). The preposition 'bei' introduces the forbidden or secret action. A common mistake is using the wrong preposition.
EXAMPLE
Der Lehrer ertappte den Schüler beim Spicken.
The teacher caught the student cheating.
Reflexive use
The reflexive form 'sich bei etwas ertappen' (to catch oneself doing something) means that you unexpectedly notice a thought or unconscious action in yourself. The structure with 'bei' + dative stays the same.
EXAMPLE
Ich ertappte mich dabei, wie ich mit dem Stift auf den Tisch klopfte.
I caught myself tapping the pen on the table.
Compare with
ertappen vs entdecken
to discover
'entdecken' and 'ertappen' can both mean noticing something that was not openly visible before. 'entdecken' is neutral: you find or notice something. 'ertappen' is more specific and fits when someone is surprised while doing something secret or forbidden. With 'sich ertappen bei', you mean that you suddenly notice a thought, a feeling, or a behavior in yourself. The words are easy to confuse because both express sudden noticing. But 'ertappen' almost always carries a sense of surprise or of something you really should not be doing.
ertappen
Am Abend ertappt die Mutter ihren Sohn dabei, wie er heimlich Schokolade isst.
In the evening, the mother catches her son secretly eating chocolate.
entdecken
Meine Kollegin entdeckt auf der Feier ein bekanntes Gesicht in der Menge.
At the party, my colleague discovers a familiar face in the crowd.
In real life
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