01
der Richter
judge
A person who works at a court and whose task is to make judgments in legal disputes.
example
Der Richter verkündete das Urteil am Ende der Verhandlung.
The judge announced the verdict at the end of the trial.
der Richter
judge
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'der Richter' (judge) derives directly from the verb 'richten' (to judge). In this context, 'richten' means something like 'to pass judgment' or 'to evaluate.' A 'Richter' is therefore a person who judges.
EXAMPLE
Es ist die Aufgabe des Gerichts, über den Fall zu richten.
It is the court's task to rule on the case.
Context clues
The context makes clear which kind of judge is meant. Words like 'Gericht' (court), 'Urteil' (verdict/judgment), or 'Angeklagter' (defendant) point to a judge in the legal sense. Terms like 'Wettbewerb' (competition), 'Punkte' (points), or 'Sportart' (sport) indicate the evaluator in a competition.
EXAMPLE
Der Angeklagte wartete nervös auf die Entscheidung des Richters.
The defendant waited nervously for the judge's decision.
Typical collocations
In a legal context, there are fixed expressions with 'Richter' (judge). These include 'vor dem Richter stehen' (to stand before the judge / be accused) and 'der Richter fällt ein Urteil' (the judge passes a judgment).
EXAMPLE
Wegen des Diebstahls musste er vor dem Richter erscheinen.
Because of the theft, he had to appear before the judge.
Typical verbs
When a judge evaluates a competition, the verbs 'bewerten' (to evaluate) or 'Punkte vergeben' (to award points) are often used. The subject is usually 'die Richter' (the judges) in the plural.
EXAMPLE
Die Richter bewerteten die technische Ausführung des Sprungs.
The judges evaluated the technical execution of the jump.
Compare with
Richter vs Anwalt
lawyer
'der Richter' and 'der Anwalt' both belong to the area of courts and law, but they have different roles. The judge directs a proceeding and gives a verdict at the end. The lawyer advises or represents a person, for example the defendant or a female plaintiff. You can confuse the words because both often work in the courtroom and have legal training. The important point is: the lawyer is on one person's side; the judge decides the case neutrally.
Richter
Im Gericht hört der Richter beide Seiten an und verkündet später das Urteil.
In court, the judge listens to both sides and later announces the verdict.
Anwalt
Wegen des Streits mit dem Vermieter sucht Maria einen Anwalt.
Because of the dispute with the landlord, Maria is looking for a lawyer.
In real life
Loading video examples...