Learning basic political vocabulary in German helps you engage in discussions about government, policy, and civic matters. This vocabulary forms the foundation for more complex conversations about political systems, history, and current events.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Politics | Politik | Poe-lit-ik |
| Government | Regierung | Reh-gee-rung |
| Democracy | Demokratie | Deh-mo-kra-ti-eh |
| Republic | Republik | Reh-poo-blik |
| Election | Wahl | Vahl |
| Citizen | Bürger | Booer-ger |
| Vote | Stimmen | Shtim-men |
| Party | Partei | Par-tie |
| Law | Gesetz | Geh-zett |
| Policy | Politik | Poh-lihk |
| Justice | Gerechtigkeit | Geh-rech-tig-kite |
| Freedom | Freiheit | Fry-hait |
| Rights | Rechte | Reh-teh |
| Army | Armee | Ar-may |
| President | Präsident | Preh-zi-dent |
| Chancellor | Kanzler | Kantz-ler |
| Parliament | Parlament | Par-lah-ment |
| Vote (noun) | Stimme | Shtim-meh |
| Election (noun) | Wahl | Vahl |
Politics and Government
Understanding the terms related to politics and government in German enables more meaningful conversations about how societies are organized and governed. It also aids in comprehending Germany’s political structure and history.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Politics | Politik | Poe-lit-ik |
| Government | Regierung | Reh-gee-rung |
| Democracy | Demokratie | Deh-mo-kra-ti-eh |
| Republic | Republik | Reh-poo-blik |
| Totalitarianism | Totalitarismus | To-tal-i-tar-ih-nus |
| Federalism | Federalismus | Feh-deh-ral-iz-muus |
| Monarchy | Monarchie | Mo-nar-kie |
| Oligarchy | Oligarchie | O-li-gar-kie |
| Anarchy | Anarchie | Ah-nar-kie |
Civic Engagement
Civic engagement vocabulary helps discuss how citizens participate in their government and influence decision-making. This includes understanding electoral processes and political participation.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen | Bürger | Booer-ger |
| Vote | Wählen | Vay-len |
| Election | Wahl | Vahl |
| Party | Partei | Par-tie |
| Campaign | Kampagne | Kam-pah-nyuh |
| Candidate | Kandidat | Kan-di-daht |
| Referendum | Volksentscheid | Volks-en-shy-tayd |
| Petition | Petition | Pe-ti-tion |
| Debate | Debatte | Deh-ba-te |
| Protest | Protest | Pro-test |
| Activism | Aktivismus | Ak-tiv-iz-mus |
| Lobbying | Lobbyismus | Loh-bee-iz-mus |
| Suffrage | Stimmrecht | Shtim-recht |
| Advocacy | Interessenvertretung | In-te-res-sen-fer-tay-toong |
Legal and Rights Vocabulary
This vocabulary is essential for discussing laws, rights, and justice within the political context. It helps in understanding how laws are made and the rights granted to citizens.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Gesetz | Geh-zett |
| Rights | Rechte | Reh-teh |
| Justice | Gerechtigkeit | Geh-rech-tig-kite |
| Constitution | Verfassung | Fer-vas-oong |
| Bill | Gesetzesvorlage | Geh-zett-es-for-lah-geh |
| Amendment | Änderun | En-deh-roun |
| Tribunal | Tribunal | Tree-bu-nahl |
| Equality | Gleichheit | Glaih-cite |
| Freedom | Freiheit | Fry-hait |
| Liberty | Freiheit | Fry-hait |
| Suffrage | Stimmrecht | Shtim-recht |
| Due Process | Rechtsstaatlichkeit | Rehchts-staat-lih-kite |
| Human Rights | Menschenrechte | Men-shen-reh-teh |
| Legislation | Gesetzgebung | Geh-zett-ge-boong |
| Jurisdiction | Gerichtsbarkeit | Geh-richts-bar-kite |