zuerkennen

Zuerkennen is a German verb with two related meanings. Primarily, it means to grant or award something to someone by an official decision, such as a right, status, subsidy, or entitlement. In some contexts it also means to acknowledge or recognize something as valid or true. The verb is formed with the separable prefix zu- and the verb erkennen, and in main clauses the prefix typically separates (for example, der Richter hat dem Angeklagten Freispruch zuerkannt).

Usage and syntax: The common construction is jem andem etwas zuerkennen (to grant someone something). Examples include: Der Staat hat dem Antragsteller eine Rente zuerkannt. Der Richter hat dem Angeklagten Freispruch zuerkannt. In legal and administrative language, passive forms such as wurde zuerkannt are common. In a broader sense, zuerkennen can also convey that a claim or status is officially recognized or granted by an authority, and it is often used where Anerkennen emphasizes acknowledgment or acceptance rather than a formal grant.

Etymology and noun form: The term derives from zu- plus erkennen. The corresponding noun is Zuerkennung, referring to the act of granting or recognizing something. Related verbs include anerkennen (to acknowledge or recognize) and zugeben (to admit).

Notes: Zuerkennen is typical in formal, legal, and administrative contexts. It carries a sense of an official act that confers rights or privileges, rather than a merely informal acknowledgment.