to attribute / assign
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to attribute
To assign or ascribe responsibility, a cause, or a certain quality to someone or something.
Der Erfolg des Projekts ist vor allem dem Teamleiter zuzurechnen.
The success of the project is primarily attributable to the team leader.
'Zurechnen' (to attribute/assign) is a separable verb. The prefix 'zu-' separates from the verb in main clauses and stands at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Man rechnet ihm diesen Fehler persönlich zu.
People attribute this mistake to him personally.
The verb 'zurechnen' (to attribute/assign) belongs to elevated or formal language. It is often found in academic, legal, or official texts, but rarely in everyday colloquial speech.
Die Studie rechnet die gestiegenen Kosten den neuen Umweltauflagen zu.
The study attributes the increased costs to the new environmental regulations.
When you ascribe a quality or responsibility to someone, use the structure: 'jemandem (Dativ) etwas (Akkusativ) zurechnen' (to attribute something to someone).
Man kann ihm einen gewissen Mut nicht absprechen, aber man muss ihm auch Leichtsinn zurechnen.
You cannot deny him a certain amount of courage, but you also have to attribute recklessness to him.
When you assign someone or something to a group, use the structure: 'jemanden/etwas (Akkusativ) zu einer Gruppe (Dativ) zurechnen' (to classify someone/something as belonging to a group).
Dieses Kunstwerk wird der Epoche des Barock zugerechnet.
This work of art is classified as belonging to the Baroque period.
In a legal or psychological context, people often examine whether an act 'zugerechnet werden kann' (can be attributed) to a person. This concerns 'Zurechnungsfähigkeit' (criminal responsibility / capacity for responsibility), meaning the question of whether someone is responsible for their actions.
Der Täter wurde als nicht zurechnungsfähig eingestuft.
The perpetrator was classified as not criminally responsible.
to count
'zählen' and 'zurechnen' can both express that someone or something belongs to a group. 'zählen zu' describes this membership more directly: a person or thing belongs to a category. 'zurechnen' puts more emphasis on someone making this classification or attributing a quality, cause, or responsibility to someone. It often sounds more formal. The words can be confused especially with groups: 'Sie zählt zu den besten Schülerinnen' (She counts among the best female students) sounds neutral; 'Man rechnet sie den besten Schülerinnen zu' (She is classified among the best female students) sounds more like an assessment from the outside.
Nach dem Gespräch rechnet Luis den Fehler eher dem schlechten Plan zu.
After the conversation, Luis attributes the mistake more to the poor plan.
Sie zählt in ihrer Klasse zu den besten Schülerinnen.
She counts among the best female students in her class.