wählen
Meaning and Usage
"Wählen" in German means "to choose" or "to vote." It is commonly used in everyday situations when making a choice or decision, such as choosing food from a menu, selecting a candidate in an election, or picking a movie to watch.
Linguistic Analysis
"Wählen" is a verb and does not have a prefix or suffix. It is derived from the Middle High German word "welen," which means "to choose."
Comparisons between German and English
The German word "wählen" is similar in meaning to the English word "choose," but it also encompasses the meaning of "vote," which is separate from "choose" in English.
Cultural Context
In Germany, "wählen" is extensively used during election times, where citizens are encouraged to "wählen" (vote) for their preferred political candidates.
Example Sentences
- Ich kann mich nicht entscheiden, welchen Film ich heute Abend wählen soll. (I can't decide which movie to choose tonight.)
- In Deutschland dürfen Bürger ab 18 Jahren wählen. (In Germany, citizens over 18 years old are allowed to vote.)
Memory Tips
Associate "wählen" with the act of making choices, whether it's choosing between options or voting for a candidate in an election.
Additional Vocabulary
- die Auswahl (f) - the choice/selection
- auswählen - to select
- die Abstimmung (f) - the vote/poll
- entscheiden - to decide
Gender and Plural (for nouns)
"Wählen" is a verb and does not have a gender or plural form.
Conjugation (for verbs)
- Ich wähle (I choose/vote)
- Du wählst (You choose/vote)
- Er/sie/es wählt (He/she/it chooses/votes)
- Wir wählen (We choose/vote)
- Ihr wählt (You (plural) choose/vote)
- Sie wählen (They/You formal choose/vote)