to convict / transfer / convert
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to convict
To prove beyond doubt that a person is guilty of a crime or offense.
Anhand der Fingerabdrücke konnte der Einbrecher schnell überführt werden.
Based on the fingerprints, the burglar could quickly be convicted.
to transfer
To transport or bring something or someone from one place to another.
Der Leichnam wurde zur Obduktion in die Gerichtsmedizin überführt.
The body was transferred to forensic medicine for an autopsy.
to convert
To transform something into another state, form, or system. Often used in a technical or chemical context.
Die alten Akten müssen in ein digitales Archiv überführt werden.
The old files must be converted into a digital archive.
'Überführen' is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'über-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem 'führen' in all tenses and sentence constructions.
Die Polizei überführte den Täter.
The police convicted the perpetrator.
In this meaning, a fixed structure is used: 'jemanden (accusative) einer Sache (genitive) überführen' (to convict someone of something). The genitive names the crime.
Der Detektiv konnte den Mann des Diebstahls überführen.
The detective was able to convict the man of theft.
When something is transformed, you use the structure 'etwas (accusative) in etwas (accusative) überführen' (to convert something into something). The preposition 'in' introduces the new state or new form.
Die Firma will ihre gesamte Produktion in ein nachhaltiges System überführen.
The company wants to convert its entire production to a sustainable system.
You can recognize the meaning from the sentence structure: if it is about a crime, often with the genitive, meaning 1 is intended. If it is about transport, often with 'von/nach' (from/to), it is meaning 2. With a transformation, often with 'in' (into), it is meaning 3.
Man überführte den Angeklagten der Lüge.
They convicted the defendant of lying.
In the meaning 'transportieren' (to transport), 'überführen' is mainly used in formal or official language. It sounds more official than 'bringen' (to bring) or 'transportieren' (to transport).
Der Gefangene wurde in ein anderes Gefängnis überführt.
The prisoner was transferred to another prison.
to transmit / transfer
When data is moved, übertragen mainly refers to transporting it to another location or system. Überführen also implies bringing the data into the form or structure of the target system. Therefore, übertragen is more suitable for a simple copy.
Wir überführen die Kundendaten aus der alten Struktur in die neue Datenbank.
We are converting the customer data from the old structure into the new database.
Wir übertragen die Kundendaten vom alten Rechner auf den neuen Server.
We are transferring the customer data from the old computer to the new server.
