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A2 verb #2,600 am häufigsten 8 Min. Lesezeit

begründen

At the A1 level, you likely won't use 'begründen' yourself very often, as you are focused on simple 'weil' (because) sentences. However, you might hear a teacher ask you to 'begründen' why you chose an answer. At this stage, just understand that it means 'tell me why'. You might see it in very simple instructions. The focus is on the connection between a choice and a reason. For example: 'Warum magst du Pizza? Begründe bitte.' (Why do you like pizza? Please give a reason.) Even if you just answer with 'Weil sie lecker ist', you have fulfilled the request to 'begründen'. It is the first step in learning how to express logic in German.
At the A2 level, 'begründen' becomes a useful tool for basic social interactions and simple writing tasks. You are expected to give reasons for your opinions and plans. You will learn the structure 'etwas mit etwas begründen' (to justify something with something). For example, 'Ich begründe meine Verspätung mit dem Stau' (I justify my lateness with the traffic jam). This is more sophisticated than just using 'weil'. You will also encounter it in reading exercises where characters have to explain their actions. It's a key verb for the 'Speaking' part of A2 exams, where you often have to explain your preferences or decisions to an examiner.
By B1, you should use 'begründen' regularly to structure your arguments in both speaking and writing. You will use it to introduce your points in a discussion. 'Ich möchte meine Meinung wie folgt begründen...' (I would like to justify my opinion as follows...). You also start to use the noun 'die Begründung' (the justification/reason). You are expected to provide more detailed and logical justifications for complex topics, such as environmental issues or social trends. The verb helps you move from simple descriptions to more analytical speaking. You will also see it used in formal letters, such as when you are complaining about a service and need to justify your claim for a refund.
At the B2 level, 'begründen' is essential for academic and professional communication. You are expected to justify complex hypotheses and provide nuanced reasons for abstract concepts. You will use it in the passive voice ('Das Vorhaben wurde damit begründet, dass...') and in combination with advanced vocabulary. You will also distinguish it clearly from 'rechtfertigen' and 'belegen'. In B2 exams, the ability to 'ausführlich begründen' (to justify in detail) is a specific grading criterion. You should be able to link several reasons together logically using this verb. It is no longer just about 'why', but about the 'validity' and 'soundness' of your reasoning.
At the C1 level, 'begründen' is used with high precision. You will use it to establish theoretical frameworks or to justify methodological choices in research. You will also encounter its secondary meaning 'to found/establish' more frequently in historical or literary texts. You should be able to use it in complex sentence structures, such as 'Die Notwendigkeit dieser Maßnahme lässt sich damit begründen, dass...'. Your justifications must be sophisticated, addressing potential counter-arguments. You will also use the adjective 'begründet' (justified/well-founded), as in 'ein begründeter Verdacht' (a well-founded suspicion).
At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'begründen' in all its stylistic nuances. You can use it to justify subtle linguistic choices, complex philosophical positions, or intricate legal arguments. You understand its role in 'Begründungszusammenhängen' (contexts of justification) and can use it to deconstruct the logic of others. You might use it in a highly formal or even archaic sense to mean 'to establish a legacy'. Your use of the verb is indistinguishable from that of an educated native speaker, utilizing it to create elegant, logically watertight prose and discourse.
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begründen in 30 Sekunden

  • Begründen means to give reasons or justify an action/opinion.
  • It is a regular verb: begründen, begründete, hat begründet.
  • Commonly used with the preposition 'mit' (justify with...).
  • Essential for logical communication and academic writing.

The German verb begründen is a fundamental building block for anyone looking to move beyond simple statements of fact into the realm of logical reasoning and argumentation. At its most basic level, it means 'to justify' or 'to give reasons for' something. However, its semantic range is deeply rooted in the noun der Grund (the ground, the reason, the foundation). When you begründen something, you are literally laying the ground for it, providing the structural support that makes a statement or an action stand up to scrutiny. This verb is essential because it allows speakers to connect ideas using cause-and-effect logic, moving from the 'what' to the 'why'. In everyday life, you might use it to explain a personal choice, while in academic or professional settings, it is used to provide evidence for a hypothesis or a business decision.

Core Concept
Providing the underlying logic or evidence that supports a claim, action, or decision.
Structural Role
It functions as a transitive verb, typically requiring a direct object (the thing being justified) and often followed by a causal clause (using 'weil' or 'da').
Foundational Meaning
In a more literal or historical sense, it can also mean 'to found' or 'to establish' (e.g., a company or a theory), though this is less common in basic A2 conversation.

"Sie müssen Ihre Abwesenheit schriftlich begründen, damit wir die Entschuldigung akzeptieren können." (You must justify your absence in writing so that we can accept the excuse.)

— Example of formal administrative usage

Understanding begründen requires recognizing its prefix be-, which often indicates that an action is being applied to an object in a comprehensive way. While gründen might mean to set something up, begründen focuses on the rationale behind it. In the CEFR A2 level, learners use it to explain simple preferences, like why they like a certain food or why they chose a specific hobby. As learners progress to B2 and C1, the word takes on a more rigorous academic tone, where one must begründen complex philosophical positions or legal arguments. It is the difference between simply saying 'I like this' and saying 'I like this because...'

"Der Forscher konnte seine Theorie nicht ausreichend begründen." (The researcher could not sufficiently justify his theory.)

"Wie begründen Sie Ihre Meinung zu diesem Thema?" (How do you justify your opinion on this topic?)

"Er begründete seinen Rücktritt mit gesundheitlichen Problemen." (He justified his resignation with health problems.)

"Kannst du bitte begründen, warum du zu spät gekommen bist?" (Can you please explain/justify why you arrived late?)

Grammar Note
It is a regular (weak) verb: begründen, begründete, hat begründet.
Synonym Hint
Often interchangeable with 'erklären' (to explain) in casual speech, but 'begründen' specifically implies providing a logical basis.

Using begründen correctly involves understanding its syntactic environment. It is a transitive verb, meaning it almost always takes an accusative object—the thing you are justifying. For example, 'Ich begründe meine Entscheidung' (I justify my decision). After the object, you typically provide the reason using a prepositional phrase or a subordinate clause. The most common preposition used with begründen is mit (+ Dative). For instance, 'Er begründet den Fehler mit Stress' (He justifies the mistake with stress). This structure is incredibly efficient for linking an outcome to a cause in a single sentence.

In more complex sentences, begründen is followed by a 'dass' clause or a 'warum' clause. 'Ich möchte begründen, warum ich diesen Job möchte' (I want to justify why I want this job). This is particularly useful in cover letters or interviews. At the A2 level, you should focus on the basic pattern: [Subject] + [begründen] + [Object] + [mit + Reason]. As you advance, you will learn to use it in the passive voice: 'Die Entscheidung wurde nicht ausreichend begründet' (The decision was not sufficiently justified), which is a common critique in German bureaucracy and academia.

"Man kann eine Meinung nicht einfach nur äußern, man muss sie auch begründen." (One cannot just state an opinion; one must also justify it.)

Another nuance is the reflexive use or the use in the sense of 'founding'. While 'gründen' is the standard verb for starting a company, 'begründen' can be used for establishing a tradition or a school of thought. For example, 'Er begründete eine neue philosophische Richtung' (He founded a new philosophical direction). This usage is more elevated and common in literature or history. For daily communication, stick to the 'giving reasons' definition. Remember that begründen is a weak verb, so its conjugation is straightforward: ich begründe, du begründest, er/sie/es begründet, wir begründen, ihr begründet, sie begründen. The past participle is begründet, and the simple past is begründete.

You will encounter begründen in a variety of settings, ranging from the highly formal to the everyday. In a German classroom, a teacher might say, 'Bitte begründe deine Antwort' (Please justify your answer). This is a prompt for the student to explain the logic behind their choice. In a professional environment, during a performance review or a project pitch, you might hear, 'Wir müssen diese Kostensteigerung gegenüber dem Kunden begründen' (We must justify this cost increase to the customer). Here, it implies a level of professional accountability and the need for clear, logical evidence.

The word is also a staple of German news and media. When a politician resigns or a new law is passed, the media will report on how the action was begründet. 'Der Minister begründete seinen Schritt mit persönlichen Motiven' (The minister justified his step with personal motives). In legal dramas or actual courtrooms, lawyers begründen their motions (einen Antrag begründen). Even in casual settings, if a friend cancels plans at the last minute, you might ask them to begründen why they can't make it, although 'erklären' might be more common there. Begründen adds a layer of 'proving' or 'validating' that 'erklären' lacks.

"In der Mathematik muss jeder Schritt logisch begründet sein." (In mathematics, every step must be logically justified.)

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is confusing begründen with erklären. While they are similar, erklären is broader and simply means to make something clear or understandable. You can explain how a machine works (erklären), but you justify a decision (begründen). If you use erklären when you mean begründen, you might sound less precise, especially in academic or formal contexts. Another common error is the incorrect use of prepositions. Learners often try to use 'für' because of the English 'justify for', but in German, you begründen something mit (with) a reason.

Another pitfall is the confusion between begründen and gründen. As mentioned, gründen is for founding physical things like companies or clubs. If you say 'Ich habe eine Firma begründet', it sounds like you provided the logical rationale for a company's existence rather than actually starting it (though in very formal German, this distinction can blur). Additionally, watch out for the noun form Begründung. It is feminine, and learners often forget the 'ung' ending or misgender it. Finally, ensure you don't over-use the word in very casual contexts; saying 'Begründe das!' to a friend might sound a bit too much like a police interrogation or a school exam.

Several words share a semantic field with begründen, and knowing the differences is key to fluency. Rechtfertigen is perhaps the closest synonym, meaning 'to justify' or 'to vindicate'. However, rechtfertigen often carries a defensive tone, as if one is defending oneself against an accusation of wrongdoing. Begründen is more neutral and logical. Then there is belegen, which means 'to prove' or 'to document' with evidence. While you begründen an opinion with logic, you belegen a fact with data or documents.

Erläutern is another related verb, meaning 'to elucidate' or 'to explain in detail'. It is more about expanding on a topic than providing a justification. Argumentieren is the process of building an argument, which often involves several Begründungen. Lastly, motivieren can sometimes be used in the sense of providing a motive, especially in psychological or legal contexts ('eine Entscheidung motivieren'), but this is much rarer than begründen. Understanding these nuances helps you choose the right level of formality and the correct emotional tone for your explanation.

How Formal Is It?

Formell

""

Neutral

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Schwierigkeitsgrad

Wichtige Grammatik

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

Bitte begründen Sie Ihre Antwort.

Please justify your answer.

Imperative form (formal).

2

Kannst du das begründen?

Can you justify/explain that?

Modal verb 'können' + infinitive.

3

Er begründet es mit 'keine Zeit'.

He justifies it with 'no time'.

Present tense + preposition 'mit'.

4

Warum? Begründe bitte!

Why? Please give a reason!

Short imperative.

5

Ich kann meine Wahl begründen.

I can justify my choice.

Accusative object 'meine Wahl'.

6

Sie begründet ihre Verspätung.

She justifies her lateness.

Simple present.

7

Wir müssen das begründen.

We must justify that.

Modal verb 'müssen'.

8

Das ist schwer zu begründen.

That is hard to justify.

Adjective + 'zu' + infinitive.

1

Er begründet seine Meinung mit Fakten.

He justifies his opinion with facts.

Preposition 'mit' + dative plural.

2

Wie begründest du deine Entscheidung?

How do you justify your decision?

Question with 'wie'.

3

Ich begründe das mit meinem Hobby.

I justify that with my hobby.

Possessive pronoun in dative.

4

Sie hat ihren Wunsch gut begründet.

She justified her wish well.

Perfect tense (hat begründet).

5

Man muss alles begründen.

One must justify everything.

Indefinite pronoun 'man'.

6

Können Sie den Preis begründen?

Can you justify the price?

Formal 'Sie' address.

7

Er begründete den Fehler mit Stress.

He justified the mistake with stress.

Simple past (Präteritum).

8

Ich möchte meine Antwort kurz begründen.

I would like to briefly justify my answer.

Modal 'möchte' + adverb 'kurz'.

1

Die Firma begründet die Kündigung mit der Krise.

The company justifies the termination with the crisis.

Noun-verb combination.

2

Es ist wichtig, seine Forderungen zu begründen.

It is important to justify one's demands.

Infinitive clause with 'zu'.

3

Wie lässt sich dieser Schritt begründen?

How can this step be justified?

Reflexive 'lässt sich' + infinitive (passive substitute).

4

Der Autor begründet seine These im ersten Kapitel.

The author justifies his thesis in the first chapter.

Academic context.

5

Sie begründete ihr Fehlen mit einer Krankheit.

She justified her absence with an illness.

Präteritum.

6

Ich werde meine Ablehnung schriftlich begründen.

I will justify my rejection in writing.

Future tense (werden + infinitive).

7

Ohne es zu begründen, verließ er den Raum.

Without justifying it, he left the room.

Prepositional infinitive 'ohne... zu'.

8

Können Sie das bitte genauer begründen?

Can you please justify that more precisely?

Comparative adverb 'genauer'.

1

Die Maßnahme wurde mit Sicherheitsbedenken begründet.

The measure was justified with security concerns.

Passive voice (wurde begründet).

2

Es fällt mir schwer, dieses Verhalten zu begründen.

I find it difficult to justify this behavior.

Phrase 'es fällt mir schwer'.

3

Der Erfolg begründet sich auf harter Arbeit.

The success is based on/justified by hard work.

Reflexive 'sich begründen auf' (+ acc/dat variation).

4

Er konnte seine Abwesenheit nicht plausibel begründen.

He could not plausibly justify his absence.

Adverb 'plausibel'.

5

Die Ablehnung des Antrags muss rechtlich begründet sein.

The rejection of the application must be legally justified.

Statals-passive (sein + past participle).

6

Wir begründen unsere Strategie mit Marktanalysen.

We justify our strategy with market analyses.

Professional context.

7

Sie begründete ihre Kritik sehr sachlich.

She justified her criticism very objectively.

Adverb 'sachlich'.

8

Lassen Sie mich das kurz begründen.

Let me justify that briefly.

Imperative with 'lassen'.

1

Die Notwendigkeit der Reform lässt sich kaum begründen.

The necessity of the reform can hardly be justified.

Modal use of 'lassen'.

2

Er begründete damit eine völlig neue Denkschule.

With that, he established a completely new school of thought.

Meaning: to establish/found.

3

Ihre Argumentation ist logisch schwer zu begründen.

Your argumentation is logically difficult to justify.

Adverbial use.

4

Der Verdacht ist durchaus begründet.

The suspicion is quite well-founded.

Adjective 'begründet'.

5

Man begründete die Entscheidung mit dem Gemeinwohl.

The decision was justified with the public good.

Abstract noun 'Gemeinwohl'.

6

Diese Theorie begründet sich in der Quantenphysik.

This theory is rooted/founded in quantum physics.

Reflexive usage.

7

Er hat seinen Ruf als Experte damit begründet.

He established his reputation as an expert with that.

Perfect tense with 'Ruf'.

8

Es mangelt der Entscheidung an einer tieferen Begründung.

The decision lacks a deeper justification.

Noun 'Begründung'.

1

Die ontologische Differenz lässt sich hier kaum begründen.

The ontological difference can hardly be justified here.

Highly academic register.

2

Er begründete die Dynastie der Habsburger mit.

He helped establish the Habsburg dynasty.

Historical context.

3

Das Urteil war ausführlich und präzise begründet.

The verdict was justified in detail and with precision.

Adverbial pair.

4

Seine Abneigung war psychologisch tief begründet.

His aversion was deeply rooted psychologically.

Participial adjective.

5

Die Argumente begründen einen Paradigmenwechsel.

The arguments justify a paradigm shift.

Sophisticated object.

6

Es gilt, diese Abweichung theoretisch zu begründen.

It is necessary to justify this deviation theoretically.

Fixed expression 'Es gilt... zu'.

7

Die Kritik begründet sich auf einer Fehlinterpretation.

The criticism is based on a misinterpretation.

Reflexive with 'auf'.

8

Ein solches Vorgehen lässt sich moralisch nicht begründen.

Such a procedure cannot be morally justified.

Moral/Ethical context.

Häufige Kollokationen

eine Entscheidung begründen
eine Meinung begründen
einen Antrag begründen
ausführlich begründen
logisch begründen
schriftlich begründen
mit Fakten begründen
eine Theorie begründen
seine Abwesenheit begründen
einen Verdacht begründen

Häufige Phrasen

Wie begründen Sie das?

Das lässt sich schwer begründen.

Ich möchte das kurz begründen.

Eine gut begründete Meinung.

Ohne Angabe von Gründen (not using the verb, but related).

Den Antrag begründen.

Seine Wahl begründen.

Wissenschaftlich begründet.

Moralisch begründet.

Rechtlich begründet.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

begründen vs erklären (to explain - more general)

begründen vs rechtfertigen (to justify - often defensive)

begründen vs gründen (to found - for companies/cities)

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

Leicht verwechselbar

begründen vs

begründen vs

begründen vs

begründen vs

begründen vs

Satzmuster

So verwendest du es

nuance

Begründen is more logical than erklären.

formality

Neutral to high.

frequency

Very high in academic and professional German.

Häufige Fehler
  • Using 'für' instead of 'mit'.
  • Confusing 'begründen' with 'gründen'.
  • Forgetting the 'ü' umlaut.
  • Using it without an object.
  • Using 'begründen' for simple 'how-to' explanations.

Tipps

Use 'mit'

Always remember that 'begründen mit' is the standard way to link a reason to an action. It's much more 'German' than using long 'weil' clauses every time.

Academic Tone

In essays, use 'begründen' instead of 'sagen' to introduce your arguments. It makes your writing sound more professional and analytical.

Word Family

Learn 'der Grund' and 'die Begründung' together with the verb. Knowing the whole family makes it easier to remember the meaning.

Exam Prep

For B1/B2 exams, practice the phrase 'Ich möchte meine Meinung folgendermaßen begründen...'. It's a great way to start your speaking task.

Context Clues

If you hear 'begründet', look for the 'why'. The speaker is about to give you the most important part of their argument.

Passive Voice

Try using 'wurde begründet' in formal reports. It shifts the focus from the person to the logic itself.

The 'Ground' Link

Connect 'begründen' to 'ground'. You are grounding your statement in reality.

Don't Over-justify

In casual German, over-using 'begründen' can make you sound like you're making excuses. Use 'erklären' for simple things.

Structure

A good 'Begründung' usually follows the pattern: Statement -> Begründen -> Evidence.

Legal Use

In legal contexts, 'begründen' is mandatory. If a document lacks a 'Begründung', it might be invalid.

Einprägen

Wortherkunft

From Middle High German 'begrunden', derived from 'grunt' (ground/bottom).

Kultureller Kontext

German law requires almost every administrative decision to be accompanied by a written 'Begründung'.

In German universities, the 'Begründung' of a thesis is often more important than the conclusion itself.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Gesprächseinstiege

"Wie würdest du deine politische Meinung begründen?"

"Kannst du begründen, warum du dich für diesen Beruf entschieden hast?"

"Wie begründen Eltern heutzutage ihre Erziehungsmethoden?"

"Muss man Liebe eigentlich begründen können?"

"Wie begründet die Regierung die neuen Steuern?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Begründe deine Entscheidung, Deutsch zu lernen.

Schreibe über eine wichtige Wahl in deinem Leben und begründe sie.

Begründe, warum dein Lieblingsbuch lesenswert ist.

Wie würdest du deinen Lebensstil gegenüber jemandem begründen, der ganz anders lebt?

Begründe die Bedeutung von Umweltschutz in deiner Heimatstadt.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Yes, in most contexts, 'begründen' is the direct equivalent of 'to justify' or 'to give reasons for'. It is used when you provide a logical basis for something.

Usually, you use 'gründen' for starting a business. 'Begründen' is used for starting a tradition, a school of thought, or providing the rationale for the business.

The most common preposition is 'mit' followed by the dative case. For example: 'Er begründet es mit dem Wetter'.

It is a weak verb. The forms are: begründen, begründete, hat begründet.

The noun is 'die Begründung', which means 'the justification' or 'the reasoning'.

Yes, but 'erklären' or 'sagen warum' is more common in very informal settings. 'Begründen' sounds a bit more serious.

You use the past participle as an adjective: 'gut begründet'.

Yes, it is a transitive verb. You always begründen *something* (the object).

'Begründen' is neutral and logical. 'Rechtfertigen' often implies you are defending yourself against a mistake or accusation.

Yes, it is a key academic verb used to justify theories, methods, and results.

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