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Verfassung

48 words1 min read100% known at C2

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 C2

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 the Federal Republic 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 (member states of the Swiss Confederation) 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/

schlossen sich ... zusammen← sich zusammenschließen

to unite, to join together irregular: schließt sich zusammen, schloss sich zusammen, hat sich zusammengeschlossen; separable verb

bilden

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

heißt← heißen

is called, is named irregular: heißt, hieß, hat geheißen to have a name; to be named; to be called; but implying that one “owns” this name, not necessarily that one goes by it; to mean, to signify; to have… A1/ˈhaɪ̯sən/

gibt← geben

there is/are (in phrase 'es gibt') irregular: gibt, gab, hat gegeben; used impersonally to give (changing ownership); to hand, to pass, to put within reach; Used to indicate that something exists (often with a certain property and/or in… A2[ˈɡeːb(ə)n]

Seither← seither

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

Damals← damals

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

zusammen

together used as prefix in separable verbs together, jointly; together, in the same place; in a romantic relationship with each other A1/tsuˈzamən/

Grammar in this text

Word order in main clauses with 'es gibt'

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

The phrase 'es gibt' (there is/are) requires the subject 'es' to be in position one, and the verb 'gibt' in position two, with the object after it. This is a fixed expression.

Relative clauses with 'die'

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 that provides additional information. The verb in the relative clause goes to the end.

Separable verb in a main clause

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

The verb 'sich zusammenschließen' is separable. In a main clause, the prefix 'zusammen' is separated and placed at the end of the sentence, while the conjugated verb 'schlossen' appears 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 singular, showing the goal or result of the action.

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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.