zuordnen

Zuordnen is a German verb meaning to assign or allocate something to someone or something, or to classify or map items into a category. It is used in everyday language as well as in administrative, educational, and data-processing contexts to describe linking elements to a recipient, a group, or a category.

Etymology and usage notes: the word combines zu- (‘to’) with ordnen (‘to arrange’). The verb is separable in the main clause, so the prefix zu moves to the end: Wir ordnen diese Akte der Abteilung zu. The corresponding noun is Zuordnung, meaning an assignment, allocation, or mapping. In mathematics and informatics, Zuordnung denotes a mapping from one set to another.

Grammar and examples: zuordnen is transitive and typically used with a dative recipient and an accusative object: jemanden/etwas zuordnen. Examples include: Die Lehrkraft ordnet dem Schüler eine neue Aufgabe zu. Wir ordnen die Akte der Archivabteilung zu. Der Algorithmus ordnet jedem Datensatz eine Kategorie zu. The past participle is zugeordnet, as in Die Akten wurden der Abteilung zugeordnet.

Related terms and nuances: synonyms include zuteilen (allocation or distribution of resources), einordnen (place into a category), and zuweisen (assign responsibility or resources). Zuordnung as a noun covers similar ideas, and in technical contexts it also refers to a formal mapping or relation between elements.