The government and elections
Die Regierung und die Wahlen
- Get to know the basic government institutions of the country.
- Talk about elections and voting.
Learn key vocabulary about German government and elections, including Regierung (government), Bundeskanzler (chancellor), Bundestag (parliament), and wählen (to vote). Practice essential expressions for discussing politics and the electoral process in everyday situations.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Übung 1: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- What government does your country have? (What government does your country have?)
- Does there exist a royal family in your country? (Does there exist a royal family in your country?)
- Did you go to the army? (Did you go to the army?)
- When are the elections? (When are the elections?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Am 7. Juli haben wir einen neuen Präsidenten und eine neue Regierung gewählt. The 7th of july we voted for a new president and government. |
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Der König ist das Staatsoberhaupt. The king is the head of the state. |
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Die letzte Regierung bestand aus 3 politischen Parteien. The last government consisted out of 3 political parties. |
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Die Regierung wird vom Parlament und den Richtern kontrolliert. The government is controlled by the parliament and judges. |
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Ich musste wie alle meine Freunde zur Armee gehen. I had to go to the army just like all my friends. |
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Ich ging nicht zur Armee, sondern arbeitete stattdessen ein Jahr in einer sozialen Organisation. I did not go to the army but I worked in a social organisation for a year instead. |
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Der Premierminister hat sich seit den letzten Wahlen verändert. The prime minister changed since the last elections. |
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Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ich _____ bei der Wahl immer aktiv ab.
(I _____ always actively vote in the election.)2. Viele Bürger _____ die konservative Partei.
(Many citizens _____ the conservative party.)3. Gestern _____ wir im Parlament über das neue Gesetz _____ .
(Yesterday _____ we in parliament _____ on the new law.)4. Die Regierung _____ die Bundeskanzlerin vor.
(The government _____ the Federal Chancellor.)Exercise 4: Elections and Voting in Everyday Life
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Wählen - Vote
Präsens
- ich wähle
- du wählst
- er/sie/es wählt
- wir wählen
- ihr wählt
- sie/Sie wählen
Wählen - Vote
Perfekt
- ich habe gewählt
- du hast gewählt
- er/sie/es hat gewählt
- wir haben gewählt
- ihr habt gewählt
- sie/Sie haben gewählt
Abstimmen - Vote
Präsens
- ich stimme ab
- du stimmst ab
- er/sie/es stimmt ab
- wir stimmen ab
- ihr stimmt ab
- sie/Sie stimmen ab
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The Government and Elections: An A2 German Language Lesson
This lesson focuses on important vocabulary and conversations related to government institutions, elections, and voting in Germany. It is designed for learners at the A2 level of German, offering practical dialogue examples and verb practice to build confidence in discussing politics and democracy.
Lesson Content Overview
You will encounter three realistic dialogues:
- Talking about politics in a café: Discusses key government bodies like Bundesregierung (Federal Government), Bundestag (Federal Parliament), and Bundesrat (Federal Council). Highlights roles such as the chancellor Bundeskanzler and members Abgeordnete, and their legislative functions.
- Informal talk about upcoming elections: Covers topics such as parties, the act of voting wählen, and the significance of participating in elections.
- Office conversation about voting rights and democracy: Explores the voluntary nature of voting in Germany, the absence of voting obligation, and the importance of electoral rights for citizens aged 18 and over.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
The lesson introduces and practices useful verbs and nouns relevant to elections and politics, including:
- wählen – to vote
- abstimmen – to vote, to take a vote
- Regierung – government
- Bundestag and Bundesrat – key governmental institutions
- Wahlrecht – right to vote
- Wahlpflicht – voting obligation (note: not applicable in Germany)
Verb Conjugation Practice
The lesson provides multiple choice exercises to practice conjugating the verbs wählen and abstimmen in present and perfect tenses:
- Ich stimme bei der Wahl immer aktiv ab.
- Viele Bürger wählen die konservative Partei.
- Gestern haben wir im Parlament über das neue Gesetz abgestimmt.
- Die Regierung stellt die Bundeskanzlerin vor.
Short Story Highlight
A short story illustrates common daily expressions related to voting activities:
Maria und ich wählen immer zusammen. Letzte Woche haben wir entschieden, dass wir bei der Wahl teilnehmen werden. Ich stimme oft früh am Morgen ab, aber Maria stimmt lieber am Nachmittag ab. Nach der Wahl haben wir uns über das neue Gesetz im Parlament informiert.
Instruction Language vs. German Language Notes
Since the instruction language is English and the learning language is German, important translations and explanations are provided with every key term and phrase. German political terms often do not have exact one-to-one translations but carry some cultural and institutional specificity. For example, Bundestag and Bundesrat are specific German federal political bodies. Useful phrases to notice include:
- Sprechen über Politik – to talk about politics
- Bei der Wahl – at the election
- Stimme abgeben – to cast a vote
- Mitbestimmen – to participate in decision-making
These expressions are natural and frequently used in everyday German around elections and government topics.
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