rechtfertigen

== German == === Etymology === Inherited from Middle High German rëhtvertegen, rëhtvertigen, from Middle High German rëhtvertec, rëhtvertic (“just, proper, righteous”), for which compare also rechtschaffen. By surface analysis, recht +‎ fertigen. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈʁɛçtfɛʁtiɡən/, [ˈʁɛçtʰ.fɛɐ̯.tʰiɡŋ̍] === Verb === rechtfertigen (weak, third-person singular present rechtfertigt, past tense rechtfertigte, past participle gerechtfertigt, auxiliary haben) (transitive) to justify, to defend (a chosen course of action or behavior; of a person) Synonym: begründen (transitive) to justify, to vindicate (a chosen course of action or behavior; of circumstances) (reflexive) to justify one's behavior, to defend one's actions [with für (+ accusative) ‘for doing something’] ==== Usage notes ==== In the context of a person, rechtfertigen implies an adversarial interaction where the decision has been called into question, while begründen is more neutral and does not require anything to have been challenged. ==== Conjugation ==== ==== Derived terms ==== Rechtfertigung gerechtfertigt ==== See also ==== begründen erklären === Further reading === “rechtfertigen”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[1] (in German) “rechtfertigen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon “rechtfertigen” in Duden online “rechtfertigen” in OpenThesaurus.de