schuldige

Schuldige is a German noun meaning the guilty person or the guilty parties. It is derived from the adjective schuld meaning guilty and uses the agent-noun suffix -ige. In grammar, der Schuldige is the masculine singular, die Schuldige the feminine singular, and die Schuldigen the plural form. The word is capitalized as a noun, even though it is built from an adjective.

Usage and nuance: Schuldige refers to someone who bears guilt or responsibility in a moral or legal sense. It can imply condemnation in everyday language but may carry stronger a moral judgment than other terms. In formal or legal contexts, more neutral terms such as der Beschuldigte (the accused) or der Angeklagte are common, especially when guilt has not yet been established. The plural Die Schuldigen can refer to one or more people who are widely considered at fault, regardless of gender.

Examples: Wer ist der Schuldige? (Who is the guilty party?) Die Schuldigen wurden verhaftet. The feminine form exists as die Schuldige, used when the individual female is identified.

Related forms: schuld (noun for guilt or debt) and schuldig (adjective meaning guilty). The word Schuld erkennt a broader family of terms connected to fault, obligation, and responsibility, including Schulden (debts), which is etymologically related but semantically distinct.

See also: Schuld, schuldig, Beschuldigter, Angeklagte.