Bericht

Bericht is a German noun meaning a report or account of events, facts, or findings. It typically denotes a formal document or a spoken or written narrative that conveys information, results, or conclusions. The word is masculine (der Bericht) and has the plural Berichte. It is derived from the verb berichten, which means to tell or relate information.

Berichte are used across many domains, including administration, business, journalism, science, and public administration. Common types include Jahresbericht (annual report), Geschäftsbericht (business report), Forschungsbericht (research report), und Polizeibericht (police report) or Dienstbericht (duty report). In journalism a Bericht can refer to a news report or a summarized account of events. The phrase einen Bericht erstatten is used to mean to file or provide a report to an authority or superior.

In form, a Bericht can vary from a short memo to a comprehensive document. A typical report structure may include an introduction or purpose, the methods or sources used, the findings or results, and a conclusion or recommendations. Some reports also feature an executive summary, data tables, or appendix material. The exact format is often dictated by organizational or regulatory requirements.

Related terms include Berichterstattung (the act or practice of reporting), Berichtspflicht (the obligation to report), and Berichtswesen (the system or process of reporting). While the German term is specific to German-language contexts, cognates and related concepts appear in other languages, sometimes with different nuances (for example, Bericht in Dutch can mean a message or communication).