to detain
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to detain
To arrest a person and take them into custody; to put someone in prison. This is a formal term from legal and police language.
Die Polizei konnte den Verdächtigen noch am Tatort inhaftieren.
The police were able to detain the suspect at the scene of the crime.
The verb 'inhaftieren' (to detain) is made up of the preposition 'in' (in), the noun 'die Haft' (custody/imprisonment), and the ending '-ieren'. So it literally means 'in Haft nehmen' (to take into custody).
Der Mann wurde wegen des Verdachts auf Diebstahl inhaftiert.
The man was detained on suspicion of theft.
'Inhaftieren' (to detain) is a very formal term used mainly in the language of the police, the justice system, and news reports. In everyday language, people would more likely say 'festnehmen' (to arrest) or 'verhaften' (to arrest).
Laut Polizeibericht wurde der Verdächtige um 15 Uhr inhaftiert.
According to the police report, the suspect was detained at 3 p.m.
This verb is very often used in the passive to report what happened to a person. The person or group carrying out the action, such as the police, is then often left out or added with 'von' (by).
Die Demonstranten wurden von der Polizei vorübergehend inhaftiert.
The demonstrators were temporarily detained by the police.
to arrest
Verhaften refers to a legal arrest and the beginning of custody. Inhaftieren is more formal and emphasizes more strongly that the person is being held in custody or sent to prison; it can include the arrest. Verhaften is usually used for the initial police action, while inhaftieren is used for placing someone in custody.
Nach seiner Verurteilung wurde der Mann inhaftiert.
The man was imprisoned after his conviction.
Die Polizei verhaftete den Verdächtigen am Bahnhof.
The police arrested the suspect at the train station.
