criminal offense
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criminal offense
The legal definition of a punishable act, which sets out all the elements and requirements that must be met for a particular behavior to count as a criminal offense.
Das Gericht prüfte, ob das Verhalten des Angeklagten den Straftatbestand des Betrugs erfüllt.
The court examined whether the defendant's behavior met the definition of the criminal offense of fraud.
criminal offense
Colloquially and often jokingly, an act that is seen as a serious offense or as morally very objectionable.
Ketchup auf ein Wiener Schnitzel zu geben, erfüllt für viele Österreicher den Straftatbestand der kulinarischen Beleidigung.
For many Austrians, putting ketchup on a Wiener schnitzel constitutes the criminal offense of culinary insult.
The word is made up of 'Strafe' (punishment), 'Tat' (act), and 'Bestand' (bestand/constituent elements). It therefore literally describes the 'Tatbestandsmerkmale' (elements of an offense), meaning the legally defined components of a punishable act.
Diebstahl ist ein Straftatbestand im Strafgesetzbuch.
Theft is a criminal offense in the criminal code.
In a legal context, 'Straftatbestand' (criminal offense) is very often combined with the verb 'erfüllen' (to fulfill/meet). The specific offense is often attached with the genitive.
Sein Handeln erfüllt den Straftatbestand der Körperverletzung.
His actions meet the definition of the criminal offense of bodily harm.
When the word is used in connection with everyday, non-criminal topics such as food, fashion, or music, it is usually meant humorously. It then expresses strong personal disapproval in an exaggerated way.
Ananas auf Pizza erfüllt für ihn den Straftatbestand des schlechten Geschmacks.
For him, pineapple on pizza constitutes the criminal offense of bad taste.
crime
Both words can jokingly refer to behavior that causes moral outrage. Verbrechen expresses strong disapproval directly; Straftatbestand also plays with the language of the law. Verbrechen is appropriate for direct exaggeration, while Straftatbestand is used for deliberately legal-sounding irony.
Mia nennt Ketchup auf Pasta scherzhaft einen Straftatbestand.
Mia jokingly calls putting ketchup on pasta a criminal offense.
Mia nennt Ketchup auf Pasta empört ein Verbrechen.
Mia indignantly calls putting ketchup on pasta a crime.
