Reading · C1 · Text 1

Opposition

122 words1 min read95% known at C1

Die Opposition sind diejenigen Politiker, die gerade nicht an der Macht sind.
The opposition are those politicians who are currently not in power.
Sie sind im Parlament in der Minderheit.
They are in the minority in parliament.
Sie klagen oft darüber, was die Regierung alles falsch macht.
They often complain about everything the government is doing wrong.
Trotzdem ist die Opposition nicht einfach ein „Feind” der Regierung.
Nevertheless, the opposition is not simply an 'enemy' of the government.
Manchmal arbeitet die Regierung auch mit der Opposition zusammen und übernimmt gute Ideen und Vorschläge.
Sometimes the government also works with the opposition and adopts good ideas and suggestions.
Für bestimmte wichtige Entscheidungen im Parlament braucht die Regierung in bestimmten Fällen auch die Zustimmung der Opposition.
For certain important decisions in parliament, the government also needs the approval of the opposition in certain cases.
Die Politiker der Regierung wissen, warum sie die Opposition nicht zu schlecht behandeln dürfen.
The politicians of the government know why they must not treat the opposition too badly.
Bei einer Wahl wählt das Volk das Parlament neu.
In an election, the people elect a new parliament.
Die Politiker der Opposition sind dann vielleicht plötzlich in der Mehrheit und entscheiden, wer in der Regierung sitzt.
The politicians of the opposition may then suddenly be in the majority and decide who sits in the government.
Die Politiker der alten Regierung werden dann selber zur Opposition.
The politicians of the old government then become the opposition themselves.

5 words above C1

im← in dem

in the (contraction of in + dem, dative) Used with dative case; here in im Parlament = in the parliament

zur← zu der

to the (contraction of zu + der, dative) Dative feminine; here zur Opposition = to the opposition

selber

oneself, himself, themselves (emphasizing identity) Variant of selbst; used for emphasis

Feind

enemy, foe (in politics, metaphorical opponent) Plural: Feinde; here in quotation marks to indicate metaphorical use

Fällen← der Fall

cases, instances (dative plural) Singular: Fall; here in der Wendung in bestimmten Fällen = in certain cases

Grammar in this text

Relative clause with relative pronoun in nominative

die gerade nicht an der Macht sind

The relative pronoun 'die' refers to 'Politiker' (plural) and introduces a subordinate clause. The finite verb 'sind' is placed at the end of the clause.

Indirect question with verb at the end

was die Regierung alles falsch macht

The clause after 'darüber, was' is an indirect question. The verb 'macht' is conjugated and placed at the end of the clause, as typical for subordinate clauses.

Separable verb in main clause

arbeitet die Regierung auch mit der Opposition zusammen

The verb 'zusammenarbeiten' is separable. In the present tense main clause, the prefix 'zusammen' is separated from the stem 'arbeitet' and appears at the end of the sentence.

Adverb 'zu' meaning 'too'

nicht zu schlecht behandeln

Here 'zu' is an adverb that modifies the adjective 'schlecht', meaning 'too' (as in 'too badly'). It is not a preposition but indicates an excessive degree.

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

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