Kenntnis

Kenntnis is a German abstract noun that denotes knowledge or awareness of a fact, subject, or situation. It can refer to factual knowledge, familiarity gained through study or experience, or the awareness of something in a given context. The term is used in everyday language as well as in legal, academic, and professional registers.

The singular form is die Kenntnis; the plural is die Kenntnisse. It is commonly used with prepositional phrases such as Kenntnis von (knowledge of) or in constructions like zur Kenntnis nehmen (to take notice of). In everyday speech, one might say, “Ich habe Kenntnis von der Situation” or “Sie verfügt über Kenntnisse in Biologie.” The plural often denotes a body of knowledge or areas of expertise, e.g., “gute Kenntnisse in Mathematik” or “Kenntnisse erwerben.”

Etymology and nuance: Kenntnis comes from the verb kennen (to know) with the suffix -nis, forming a noun that expresses the state or quality of knowing. In philosophy and epistemology, Kenntnis is distinguished from Erkenntnis, where Erkenntnis commonly refers to insight, discovery, or a higher form of knowledge resulting from reasoning or investigation rather than merely possessing information.

Usage notes: Kenntnis is widely used in formal and semi-formal registers, including legal language (Kenntnis der Rechtslage) and professional contexts. It can express both specific knowledge about a topic (“Kenntnisse in X”) and general awareness (“zur Kenntnis genommen”).