Untersuchende

Untersuchende is a German term that can function as a nominalized form of the verb untersuchen or as an attributive participle used as an adjective. It denotes persons or entities engaged in the act of investigating or examining, and conveys the sense of ongoing or active inquiry.

As a noun, Untersuchende refers to a person who investigates. The masculine singular is der Untersuchende, the feminine singular die Untersuchende, and the plural die Untersuchenden. In many contexts, more specific terms such as der Ermittler/ die Ermittlerin or der Forscher/ die Forscherin are preferred, but Untersuchende may appear in bureaucratic, legal, or historical texts to emphasize the act of investigation itself.

As an adjective, untersuchende describes agents or actions related to investigation, with normal German declension. For example: die untersuchenden Behörden (the investigating authorities), ein untersuchender Beamter (an investigating officer), die untersuchende Ärztin (the examining physician). The ending varies with case, gender, and number, for instance: im Dativ singular — dem untersuchenden Beamten; im Genitiv plural — der untersuchenden Behörden.

Usage notes: The term is relatively neutral and formal. It is more common to encounter precise role titles such as Ermittler, Gutachter, Prüfer, oder Forscher, depending on context. Untersuchende emphasizes the act of investigation and can be found in legal documents, academic writing describing investigative work, or historical discussions of inquiry and examination processes.