German word

Haft

Pronunciation

IPA/haft/

Meaning

  • feminine nounimprisonment

Example

Er sitzt seit Januar in Haft.

He has been in prison since January.

Illustration for Haft (imprisonment)

More examples

Sie fürchtete, in Haft zu geraten.

She feared being taken into custody.

Core concept

An official lock keeps someone under state control instead of allowing normal freedom of movement.

Common phrases

  • in Haft sein

    be in custody

  • in Haft sitzen

    be in prison

  • in Haft geraten

    be taken into custody

Similar words

Gefängnis: A prison building where convicted people serve their sentences.
Untersuchungshaft: Pretrial detention to prevent a suspect from fleeing before trial.
Freiheitsstrafe: A fixed period of lost freedom imposed as a criminal sentence.

Definition in German

Staatlich angeordnete Freiheitsentziehung, etwa Untersuchungshaft, Haftbefehl oder Strafhaft.

Word origin

German Haft is an inherited word from Middle High German and Old High German haft, where it referred to captivity or a bound condition.

Usage tips

  • The common phrase jemanden in Haft nehmen means to place someone in custody, while jemanden verhaften means to arrest someone.

Other meanings

  • detentionnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word