Reading · B2 · Text 37

Krieg

124 words1 min read98% known at B2

Krieg nennt man es, wenn Staaten miteinander im Streit sind.

It is called war when states are in conflict with each other.

Sie wollen mit Gewalt einen anderen Staat zu etwas zwingen.

They want to force another state to do something by violence.

Manchmal sind es nicht Staaten, sondern große Gruppen von Menschen, die Krieg führen.

Sometimes it is not states but large groups of people who wage war.

Krieg zerstört vieles, und meistens sterben auch Menschen.

War destroys a lot, and usually people also die.

Fast ständig gibt es irgendwo auf der Welt Krieg.

Almost constantly there is war somewhere in the world.

Politiker und andere Menschen versuchen, Krieg zu verhindern.

Politicians and other people try to prevent war.

Das sollen zum Beispiel die Vereinten Nationen leisten.

The United Nations, for example, is supposed to do that.

Wenn zwei Menschen sich streiten, sagt man gern: „Die führen Krieg miteinander.“

When two people argue, one often says: 'They are at war with each other.'

Aber in Wirklichkeit denkt man an einen Krieg nur, wenn ein Staat Krieg führt.

But in reality, one thinks of a war only when a state wages war.

In manchen Fällen erklärt der Staat den Krieg.

In some cases, the state declares war.

Damit kündigt er einem anderen Staat an, dass er mit Waffen angreifen oder sich verteidigen will.

With that, it announces to another state that it wants to attack or defend itself with weapons.

Oft aber wird ein Krieg auch nicht erklärt.

Often, however, a war is also not declared.

18 words above B2

war plural: Kriege war, warfare B1[kʁiːk]
nennt← nennen
to call, to name nennt, nannte, genannt to name (to give a name to); to call, to describe; to mention, to make known, to tell, to give A2/ˈnɛnən/
Staaten← der Staat
states, countries plural of Staat country, state (politically constituted legal person wielding absolute power of a population and territory); state/government, authorities (the… A2/ʃtaːt/
with each other together (with); with each other; togetherness, cooperation B1/ˌmɪt.(ʔ)aɪ̯ˈnan.dɐ/
dispute, conflict no plural quarrel, dispute, fight, argument; fight, battle B1/ʃtʁaɪ̯t/
force, violence no plural strong or violent force; violence; physical control or power B1/ɡəˈvalt/
to force, to compel zwingt, zwang, gezwungen to force; to compel; to make (someone do something); to (strictly) necessitate, to force B1/ˈtsvɪŋən/
zerstört← zerstören
to destroy zerstört, zerstörte, zerstört to destroy, demolish, devastate, eliminate; to dispel B1/t͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃtøːʁən/
mostly, usually mostly (for the most part); most often, usually, normally (most of the time) A2/ˈmaɪ̯stn̩s/
to die stirbt, starb, gestorben A2/ˈʃtɛrbən/
constant, continuous permanent, constant (without breaks); persistent, incessant, constant (repeated very often) B1/ˈʃtɛndɪç/
to prevent verhindert, verhinderte, verhindert to prevent, to inhibit, to keep (something) from happening. B1/fɛɐ̯ˈhɪndɐn/
to achieve, to accomplish leistet, leistete, geleistet to perform (a task, work), to accomplish (a task), to achieve (a goal); to provide (aid, service); to afford, to pay for B1/ˈlaɪ̯stn̩/
to argue, to quarrel streitet, stritt, gestritten to argue; to fight; to quarrel A2/ˈʃtʁaɪ̯tən/
erklärt← erklären
to declare erklärt, erklärte, erklärt to explain, to make clear; to declare, assert A1/ɛɐ̯ˈklɛːʁən/
kündigt an← ankündigen
to announce trennbar: kündigt an, kündigte an, angekündigt to announce; to herald B1/ˈankʏndɪɡn̩/
to attack trennbar: greift an, griff an, angegriffen to attack; to touch, to handle B2/ˈanɡʁaɪ̯fən/
to defend verteidigt, verteidigte, verteidigt to defend (from attack); to justify (an opinion, behavior, etc.) B2[fɛɐ̯ˈtaɪ̯dɪɡən]

Grammar in this text

Subjunctive with 'man' (impersonal passive alternative)

Krieg nennt man es, wenn Staaten miteinander im Streit sind.

The construction 'man' + active verb is used to express a general statement, similar to passive voice. It is recognized by the pronoun 'man' as subject.

Infinitive with 'zu' after verbs like 'versuchen'

Politiker und andere Menschen versuchen, Krieg zu verhindern.

After certain verbs (e.g., versuchen), an infinitive clause with 'zu' is used. The infinitive verb goes to the end of the clause.

Subordinate clause with 'dass' (verb at end)

Damit kündigt er einem anderen Staat an, dass er mit Waffen angreifen oder sich verteidigen will.

In a 'dass' clause, the finite verb is placed at the end. This is a fundamental word order rule in German subordinate clauses.

Modal verb with infinitive (double infinitive)

dass er mit Waffen angreifen oder sich verteidigen will.

Modal verbs (e.g., wollen) are used with an infinitive of the main verb at the end of the clause. In subordinate clauses, the modal verb appears as the finite verb at the very end.

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Text from Krieg — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.