01
klauen
to steal
To steal something of little value or in a casual way. The word is used colloquially.
example
Jemand hat mir im Café den Schal geklaut.
Someone stole my scarf at the café.
klauen
to steal / claw
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'klauen' (to steal / to claw) is closely related to the noun 'die Klaue' (an animal's claw). The colloquial meaning 'stehlen' (to steal) derives from the idea of quickly grabbing something with the fingers as if with claws.
EXAMPLE
Der Rabe hat das glänzende Schmuckstück vom Tisch geklaut.
The raven stole the shiny piece of jewelry from the table.
Register: colloquial language
This meaning of 'klauen' (to steal) is colloquial. In formal or written contexts, such as a police report, you should use the neutral verb 'stehlen' (to steal).
EXAMPLE
Wer hat denn die Kekse aus der Dose geklaut?
Who stole the cookies from the tin?
Sentence structure with dative
If you want to indicate from whom something was stolen, use the structure: 'jemandem (Dativ) etwas (Akkusativ) klauen' (to steal something from someone).
EXAMPLE
Ein Dieb hat meiner Freundin die Handtasche geklaut.
A thief stole my friend's handbag.
Context clue: animals
The rarer meaning 'kratzen' (to scratch) or 'greifen' (to grab) is used almost exclusively for animals with claws. You can recognize it from the context and often from the preposition 'nach' (at/for).
EXAMPLE
Der Falke klaute nach seiner Beute.
The falcon clawed at its prey.
Compare with
klauen vs stehlen
to steal
'stehlen' and 'klauen' mean almost the same thing in many situations: someone takes something that does not belong to them. 'stehlen' is more neutral and also works in serious, written, or official situations. 'klauen' is colloquial and often sounds more everyday or less formal. It is often used for smaller things or in conversations among friends. When it involves the police, the news, or a serious accusation, 'stehlen' is usually more appropriate.
klauen
In der Schule klaut niemand gern die Ideen anderer aus der Gruppenarbeit.
At school, nobody likes stealing other people's ideas from group work.
stehlen
Die Polizei sucht den Mann, der gestern mehrere Handys gestohlen hat.
The police are looking for the man who stole several mobile phones yesterday.
In real life
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