dokumentieren

Dokumentieren is a German verb meaning to document or to record information in a form that preserves facts for verification, reference, or evidence. It involves collecting, organizing, and presenting data or observations so that they can be inspected later, understood by others, or used to reproduce results. The term is commonly applied to written records, photographs, videos, measurements, or digital data.

Etymology and usage context: the word builds on the noun Dokument and the productive verb suffix -ieren, yielding a term that covers both formal documentation and routine note-taking. In practice, dokumentieren can refer to creating official records, compiling sources, or recording steps in a procedure.

Domains and examples: in science and journalism, researchers and reporters dokumentieren events, methods, and sources to ensure traceability. In information technology and software development, teams dokumentieren APIs, user guides, and design decisions. In archival and administrative work, authorities dokumentieren procedures, decisions, and provenance to maintain accountability and long-term accessibility.

Grammatical notes: dokumentieren is a regular German verb. Present tense forms include ich dokumentiere, du dokumentierst, er dokumentiert, wir dokumentieren, ihr dokumentiert, sie dokumentieren. The past participle is dokumentiert, used with haben in compound tenses (ich habe dokumentiert). The simple past is dokumentierte.

See also: Dokumentation, Dokument, Nachweis, Archivierung.