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Verfassung

48 words1 min read100% known at C1

In einer Demokratie hat das Volk das Sagen.
In a democracy, the people have the say.
Die Verfassung der Bundes-Republik Deutschland von 1949 heißt Grund-Gesetz.
The constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 is called the Basic Law.
In Österreich gibt es mehrere Gesetze, die zusammen die Verfassung bilden.
In Austria, there are several laws that together form the constitution.
Damals schlossen sich die Kantone zu einem Bundes-Staat zusammen.
Back then, the cantons united to form a federal state.
Seither gibt es eine Verfassung für die ganze Schweiz.
Since then, there has been a constitution for the whole of Switzerland.

16 words above C1

die Verfassung← die Verfassung

constitution plural: die Verfassungen constitution; condition, state; writing, composition, drafting B2/fɛɐ̯ˈfasʊŋ/

das Grund-Gesetz← das Grundgesetz

Basic Law (constitution of Germany) compound of 'Grund' and 'Gesetz'; often written as one word constitution (formal or informal system of primary principles and laws regulating a government or other institutions); basic law C1/ˈɡʁʊntɡəˌzɛts/

die Bundes-Republik← die Bundesrepublik

Federal Republic compound of 'Bund' and 'Republik'; often written as one word federal republic; Federal Republic of Germany B2/ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk/

die Kantone← der Kanton

cantons (Swiss states) plural form; singular: der Kanton canton (state of Switzerland); canton; canton (military enrollment district of Prussia, made obsolete by introduction of universal conscription in… B2/kanˈtoːn/

der Bundes-Staat← der Bundesstaat

federal state compound of 'Bund' and 'Staat'; often written as one word A state which consists of multiple relatively autonomous substates; a federal state, a federation.; A state which is a relatively autonomous part of… C1[ˈbʊndəsˌʃtaːt]

die Schweiz← die Schweiz

Switzerland proper noun, always with definite article Switzerland (a country in Western Europe and Central Europe) A1/ʃvaɪ̯ts/

das Volk← das Volk

people, nation plural: die Völker people, nation, folk, tribe, race (group united by culture, history, descent, and/or language); people, population, citizens; common people, the… B1/fɔlk/

die Demokratie← die Demokratie

democracy plural: die Demokratien B1/demokʁaˈtiː/

das Gesetz← das Gesetz

law plural: die Gesetze law, legal act, bill, statute; a bill by the parliamentary legislator according to the procedures devised in the state’s constitution; any formally… B1/ɡəˈzɛt͡s/

Österreich

Austria proper noun, neuter, no article Austria (a country in Central Europe) A1/ˈøːstəˌʁaɪç/

zusammen

together together, jointly; together, in the same place; in a romantic relationship with each other A1/tsuˈzamən/

schlossen sich ... zusammen← sich zusammenschließen

to unite, to join together separable verb; past tense: schloss sich zusammen, perfect: hat sich zusammengeschlossen

seither

since then since then (from that point in time onwards) B2/ˌzaɪ̯tˈheːɐ̯/

mehrere

several indefinite pronoun, always plural multiple, several; more than one; a number of A1/meːrərə/

damals

at that time, then at that time (in the past); at the time, then A2/ˈdaːmaːls/

bilden

to form, to constitute regular verb: bildete, hat gebildet to form, to train; to educate oneself B2/ˈbɪldən/

Grammar in this text

Separable verb in a clause

Damals schlossen sich die Kantone zu einem Bundes-Staat zusammen.

The verb 'sich zusammenschließen' is separable; in a main clause, the prefix 'zusammen' goes to the end of the sentence, while the finite verb 'schlossen' is in second position.

Prepositional phrase with 'zu' + dative

Damals schlossen sich die Kantone zu einem Bundes-Staat zusammen.

The preposition 'zu' takes the dative case. Here, 'einem Bundes-Staat' is dative masculine, showing the goal or result of the action.

Relative clause with 'die' as relative pronoun

In Österreich gibt es mehrere Gesetze, die zusammen die Verfassung bilden.

The relative pronoun 'die' refers to the plural noun 'Gesetze' and introduces a relative clause. The verb in the relative clause goes to the end: 'bilden'.

Present tense for general statements

In einer Demokratie hat das Volk das Sagen.

The present tense is used to express general truths or facts. The verb 'hat' is in the third person singular, and the word order is Subject-Verb-Object.

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

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