cause / culprit
Loading your saved state.
cause / culprit
A person, group, or thing that has caused something, usually something negative such as an accident, damage, or a problem.
Die Polizei konnte den Verursacher des Auffahrunfalls schnell ermitteln.
The police were quickly able to identify the culprit behind the rear-end collision.
The word derives from the verb 'verursachen' (to cause), which itself is formed from 'ver-' and 'Ursache' (cause). A 'Verursacher' (cause/culprit) is therefore literally someone who creates a cause for something.
Wer hat den Lärm in der Nacht verursacht?
Who caused the noise during the night?
'Verursacher' (cause/culprit) is used almost exclusively for people or things that have triggered something negative. Typical contexts are accidents, damage, problems, or costs.
Der Verursacher des Feuers muss für den Schaden aufkommen.
The person responsible for the fire must pay for the damage.
To specify what was caused, the genitive is used very often. This structure is typical in formal and police language.
Die Polizei sucht den Verursacher des Unfalls.
The police are looking for the culprit behind the accident.
perpetrator / culprit
Both words can refer to the person behind a negative event. Der Täter typically refers to someone who carried out a specific unlawful or negatively judged action. Der Verursacher is broader and can also be used for an accident, as well as for a thing or group. Der Täter fits a crime, while der Verursacher is more suitable for an accident.
Die Polizei sucht den Verursacher des Unfalls, bei dem mehrere Autos beschädigt wurden.
The police are looking for the person responsible for the accident in which several cars were damaged.
Die Polizei sucht den Täter, der absichtlich die Autos beschädigt hat.
The police are looking for the perpetrator who deliberately damaged the cars.
