Verursachen

Verursachen is a German verb meaning to cause or bring about a result or effect. It is used to express that something is the reason for another event or outcome, often in a neutral to formal register. The word can describe both tangible effects, such as damage or delays, and more abstract consequences.

Verursachen is a transitive verb and takes a direct object in the accusative. Its prefix ver- is inseparable, and the verb is conjugated as a regular verb. For example: "Der Fehler hat den Ausfall verursacht." "Der Sturm verursacht Schäden." The perfect tense is formed with haben: "hat verursacht." In the passive voice, standard constructions include "Schäden wurden verursacht." It is common to encounter phrases like "durch den Fehler verursacht" or "verursacht durch" to attribute the cause.

In usage, ver ursachen often contrasts with synonyms such as bewirken, auslösen, or bedingen. Bewirken emphasizes resulting change or effect, auslösen highlights the triggering of an event, and bedingen denotes dependency or prerequisite. Verursachen is typically used when the subject is explicitly identified as the cause of a consequence, and it frequently appears in technical, journalistic, and scientific contexts as well as everyday speech.

Related forms include the noun Verursacher (the cause or culprit) and Verursachung (the act or process of causing). The word can describe both positive and negative outcomes, though it is frequently applied to adverse effects such as damages, delays, or hazards. Its broad applicability makes ver ursachen a common tool for describing causal relationships in German.