administrative offense
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administrative offense
A minor violation of a legal regulation which, unlike a criminal offense, is usually punished only with a fine.
Falschparken ist eine typische Ordnungswidrigkeit und kostet meist ein Verwarnungsgeld.
Illegal parking is a typical administrative offense and usually costs a warning fine.
This long word can be broken down well: 'Ordnung' (order) + '-s-' + 'widrig' (against) + '-keit' (suffix for nouns). So an 'Ordnungswidrigkeit' (administrative offense) is literally something that is 'against order.'
Zu laute Musik in der Nacht kann eine Ordnungswidrigkeit sein.
Music that is too loud at night can be an administrative offense.
In legal and official language, the verb 'begehen' (to commit) is used. You 'begeht' eine Ordnungswidrigkeit (commit an administrative offense), similar to how one commits a mistake.
Wer bei Rot über die Ampel fährt, begeht eine Ordnungswidrigkeit.
Anyone who drives through a red light commits an administrative offense.
The context for an 'Ordnungswidrigkeit' (administrative offense) is almost always a monetary penalty, called a 'Bußgeld' (fine) or 'Verwarnungsgeld' (warning fine). It is not about prison sentences.
Wegen der Ordnungswidrigkeit musste er ein Bußgeld von 50 Euro zahlen.
Because of the administrative offense, he had to pay a fine of 50 euros.
crime
'das Verbrechen' and 'die Ordnungswidrigkeit' both have to do with rules and laws, but they differ greatly in seriousness. 'Ein Verbrechen' is a serious criminal offense and can lead to a real penalty. 'Eine Ordnungswidrigkeit' is usually a smaller legal violation, for example in traffic, and often results only in a fine. The words can be confused because both can be forbidden. What matters is: not every rule violation is a crime. For smaller violations, 'Ordnungswidrigkeit' often fits.
Falschparken ist meistens eine Ordnungswidrigkeit und keine Straftat.
Illegal parking is usually an administrative offense and not a criminal offense.
Nach dem Überfall sprach die Zeitung von einem brutalen Verbrechen.
After the attack, the newspaper called it a brutal crime.