The government and elections
Die Regierung und die Wahlen
- Get to know the basic government institutions of the country.
- Talk about elections and voting.
Explore German political vocabulary such as Bundesregierung (federal government), Bundestag (parliament), and wählen (to vote). Practice dialogues about government functions, elections, and the importance of democracy at the A2 level.
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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Overview of the Lesson: The Government and Elections in Germany
This lesson provides an introduction to the main political institutions and the electoral process in Germany. It is designed for learners at the A2 level who want to understand basic political vocabulary, discuss elections, and express opinions about democracy in German.
Key Topics Covered
- Government Structure: Understanding the roles of the Bundeskanzler (Federal Chancellor), Bundesregierung (Federal Government), Bundestag (Parliament), and Bundesrat (Federal Council).
- Political Participation: Talking about elections (Wahlen), voting rights (Wahlrecht), and the democratic process.
- Important Verbs: Choosing the correct form of verbs related to voting and political activity, like wählen (to vote) and abstimmen (to vote/decide).
- Common Expressions: Phrases related to discussing politics informally and formally, for example at a café, workplace, or before elections.
Examples of Useful Words and Phrases
- Bundesregierung – federal government including the Chancellor and ministers.
- Bundestag – federal parliament responsible for controlling the government and passing laws.
- Bundesrat – represents the federal states in the legislative process.
- die Wahl – election; wählen – to vote.
- das Wahlrecht – right to vote; die Wahlpflicht – obligation to vote (note: in Germany, voting is voluntary).
Verb Conjugation Highlights
Important verbs like wählen and abstimmen are practiced in different tenses to help learners talk about past votes and intentions:
- Ich wähle (Präsens) – I vote
- Wir haben gewählt (Perfekt) – We voted
- Ich stimme ab (Präsens) – I vote (cast my vote)
Useful Cultural Notes and Language Tips
In English, political discussions often revolve around formal terms like "government" or "parliament" without specifying roles as precisely. German emphasizes the specific political institutions such as Bundeskanzler or Bundesrat. For example, the Bundestag is similar to the UK House of Commons or US Congress, but its German name is used consistently.
Unlike English, German uses separable verbs like abstimmen, where ab is separated in certain tenses and sentence positions. Example: "Ich stimme oft morgens ab." This is important to recognize when forming sentences with common voting verbs.
Some useful phrases include:
- Ich finde es wichtig, seine Stimme abzugeben. – I think it is important to cast your vote.
- Der Bundesrat vertritt die Bundesländer im Gesetzgebungsprozess. – The Federal Council represents the federal states in the legislative process.
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