vergehen

Vergehen is a German term with several related meanings, spanning verb, noun, and legal usage. As a verb, vergehen primarily means to pass, elapse, or decay. The common sense is that time or a period goes by: Die Zeit vergeht schnell. The past participle is vergangen (Es ist vergangen). The verb can also appear in senses of fading or gradually disappearing.

In a reflexive or fixed phrase, sich vergehen an someone or something means to commit a wrongdoing against someone, often with a violent or sexual connotation: Er hat sich an ihr vergangen. This construction emphasizes an abuse of another person and is used in serious criminal or condemnatory contexts.

Das Vergehen, as a noun, is a legal term referring to a minor criminal offense. In German criminal law, Vergehen are offenses punishable by up to one year of imprisonment or by a fine; they are distinguished from Verbrechen, which carry more severe penalties. The term is used in statutes and case law to classify offenses and to determine appropriate sanctions. In everyday language, Vergehen can also appear as a general synonym for misdemeanors or violations, though Verstoß is also common for non-criminal violations.

Summary: vergehen has multiple senses—time passing as a verb, committing wrongdoing against someone in the phrase sich vergehen an, and a legal classification as das Vergehen for minor offenses. The word connects temporal, ethical, and legal domains, with usage ranging from everyday expressions to formal statutory language.