bekenne

Bekenne is a German grammatical form rather than a standalone lexical item in everyday use. It is the Konjunktiv I (present subjunctive) form of the verb bekennen, which means to confess or acknowledge. The Konjunktiv I is primarily employed to report or quote someone’s statements while preserving the original speaker’s perspective.

The form derives from the prefix be- combined with the verb kennen (to know or to acknowledge in this sense). In German grammar, Konjunktiv I forms are used in journalism, formal writing, and direct or indirect speech to convey what someone said without asserting it as a fact themselves. The shape "bekenne" appears in third-person singular and in other persons depending on the subject, for example: "Der Zeuge sagte, der Angeklagte bekenne sich schuldig." Although it is a correct and standard grammatical form, bekonnen or bekunden forms are used in other contexts or moods as appropriate.

In modern standard German, the Konjunktiv I forms, including "bekenne," are relatively rare in casual speech and writing, where direct quotation or the indicative with accompanying cues is more common. The term is primarily of interest for those studying German grammar or reading older or formally styled texts, where reported speech is more frequently marked by Konjunktiv I forms.

See also: bekwennen/bekunden, Konjunktiv I, Bekennen.