adjective
guilty, at fault, responsible
B1
Schuldig is an adjective meaning 'guilty', 'at fault' or 'responsible'. Comparative: schuldiger; superlative: am schuldigsten. Special constructions: 'schuldig an' + Dativ (responsible for something) and 'jemandem etwas schuldig sein' (to owe someone something). Antonym: unschuldig. Used predicatively. It is gradable and not a participle; common in spoken and written German.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Die Firma ist für den Schaden verantwortlich und damit schuldig.
The company is responsible for the damage and therefore to blame.
Wenn etwas kaputtgeht, ist sie nicht automatisch schuldig.
If something breaks, she's not automatically at fault.
Die Jury erklärte den Angeklagten schuldig, obwohl seine Anwälte neue Beweise vorgebracht hatten.
The jury declared the defendant guilty, although his lawyers had presented new evidence.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture a courtroom with a person pointing an accusing finger and a label 'schuldig' stamped in red
Sounds like 'shouldy' — imagine someone saying 'you should be guilty'
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Used both in moral/legal contexts (guilty) and in everyday contexts meaning responsible or at fault. Beware of false friends: 'schuld' (noun) relates to 'debt' or 'fault'.