01
straffrei
not punishable
Refers to an action that is not punished by law or for which no penalty is provided.
example
Notwehr ist unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen straffrei.
Self-defense is not punishable under certain conditions.
straffrei
not punishable / without convictions
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word structure
The adjective 'straffrei' (not punishable / without convictions) is a compound of 'die Strafe' (the punishment) and 'frei' (free). So it literally means 'free from punishment'.
EXAMPLE
Da er aus Notwehr handelte, blieb sein Handeln straffrei.
Since he acted in self-defense, his action remained not punishable.
Sentence structure
This adjective is almost always used predicatively, that is, in connection with verbs like 'sein' (to be), 'bleiben' (to remain), or 'ausgehen' (to end up) at the end of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Unter bestimmten Bedingungen kann der Abbruch einer Schwangerschaft straffrei sein.
Under certain conditions, terminating a pregnancy may be not punishable.
Context clue
If 'straffrei' (not punishable / without convictions) refers to an action or thing, the first meaning is intended. If it refers to a person, it means that this person has no prior convictions.
EXAMPLE
Die Tat selbst war straffrei.
The act itself was not punishable.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'not be punished', 'straffrei' (not punishable) is often combined with the verbs 'ausgehen' (to end up) or 'bleiben' (to remain). This emphasizes the outcome of a proceeding or situation.
EXAMPLE
Trotz der Anschuldigungen ging der Angeklagte am Ende straffrei aus.
Despite the accusations, the defendant ended up not being punished in the end.
Compare with
straffrei vs legal
legal
'legal' and 'straffrei' both have to do with the law and consequences, but they do not mean the same thing. 'legal' means that something is allowed by law. 'straffrei' means that an action is not followed by a punishment or that no punishment is provided for it. So an action can be 'straffrei' even though it may still be legally or morally problematic. The words can be confused because both sound as if there is no legal problem. As a simple guide: 'legal' asks whether something is allowed; 'straffrei' asks whether someone is punished for it.
straffrei
Wer den Fehler sofort meldet, bleibt in diesem Fall straffrei.
Anyone who reports the mistake immediately remains unpunished in this case.
legal
Das Herunterladen des Dokuments ist legal, weil der Verlag es kostenlos anbietet.
Downloading the document is legal because the publisher offers it for free.
In real life
Loading video examples...