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Illustration of the B1 German word “schweigen”, which translates to “to stay silent”. Close-up of a rabbit pressing one paw to its lips in a huge glowing shush, a bright soft ring of quiet light around it, the whole hush of silence filling the frame.
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schweigen

to stay silent

/ˈʃvaɪ̯ɡn̩/

Conjugation

Principal parts

schweigen, schwieg, hat geschwiegen

ich schweige
du schweigst
er/sie/es schweigt
wir schweigen
ihr schweigt
sie/Sie schweigen

Practice "schweigen"

Examples — schweigen in a sentence

Sie beschloss, zu diesem Thema zu schweigen.

She decided to stay silent on this topic.

Warum schweigt er zu den Vorwürfen?

Why is he silent about the accusations?

How to remember it

SCHWY-gen: You're trying to whisper a **schwi**sher to someone, but they signal you to **stay silent**.

More B1 words

Illustration of the B1 German word “sich widersetzen”, which translates to “to resist, to defy”. A single small rabbit stands with paws planted and chin raised against a howling gale that is bending every tree behind it flat to the ground.
sich widersetzen

/viːdɐˈzɛt͡sn̩/

Tap to see details

to resist, to defy

Principal parts

sich widersetzen, widersetzte sich, hat sich widersetzt

ich widersetze mich
du widersetzt dich
er/sie/es widersetzt sich
wir widersetzen uns
ihr widersetzt euch
sie/Sie widersetzen sich

Examples

Er versuchte, sich der Verhaftung zu widersetzen.

He tried to resist the arrest.

Man sollte sich unnötigem Druck nicht widersetzen.

One should not resist unnecessary pressure.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “die Staatsbürgerschaft”, which translates to “citizenship”. A gosling in a tiny bow tie stands beaming on a red carpet with a bright rosette pinned to its chest, confetti drifting down around it.
die Staatsbürgerschaft

/ˈʃtaːt͡sbʏʁɡɐˌʃaft/

citizenship

Examples

Er beantragte die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft.

He applied for German citizenship.

Seine Staatsbürgerschaft ist wichtig für die Wahl.

His citizenship is important for the election.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “die Stasi”, which translates to “Stasi (East German secret police)”. A tense mouse in a grey trench coat pressing itself flat against a wall, while a giant keyhole in the wall behind it glows with a single watchful eye peering through from the other side.
die Stasi

/ˈʃtaːzi/

Stasi (East German secret police)

Examples

Die Stasi war die Staatssicherheit der DDR.

The Stasi was the state security of the GDR.

Viele Akten der Stasi sind heute offen.

Many Stasi files are open today.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “die Teilung”, which translates to “division, partition”. Close-up of one huge apple filling the frame, cleanly split down the middle into two halves drifting apart, a beam of pure white light in the gap between them. No people, no figures, nothing in the gap but light.
die Teilung

/ˈtaɪ̯lʊŋ/

division, partition

Examples

Die Teilung des Kuchens war ungerecht.

The division of the cake was unfair.

Man diskutiert über die Teilung der Kosten.

One discusses the division of the costs.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “die Überwachung”, which translates to “surveillance”. A round owl perched in the dark, its huge glowing eyes sweeping two bright searchlight beams across the whole frame, every corner lit up under its unblinking watch.
die Überwachung

/yːbɐˈvaxʊŋ/

surveillance

Examples

Die Überwachung des Gebäudes ist streng.

The surveillance of the building is strict.

Man sollte die Überwachung kritisch hinterfragen.

One should critically question surveillance.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “die Verantwortung”, which translates to “responsibility”. Oma Trude, a tiny round old woman with a silver bun, round wire glasses and a knitted lilac cardigan, calmly balances an enormous wobbling world-globe on her shoulders like Atlas, steady and unbothered by its weight.
die Verantwortung

/fɛɐ̯ˈʔantvɔʁtʊŋ/

responsibility

Examples

Er trägt die volle Verantwortung für den Fehler.

He bears full responsibility for the mistake.

Ich übernehme gerne diese Verantwortung.

I gladly take on this responsibility.

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sich widersetzen — to resist, to defy

sich widersetzenStaatsbürgerschaftStasiTeilungÜberwachungVerantwortungAll German word pages

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