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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.
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Stasi is one of the B1 words in the free course — with this picture, the audio, and spaced repetition.

dieStasi

Stasi (East German secret police)

/ˈʃtaːzi/

Examples — Stasi in a sentence

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.

How to remember it

STASI sounds like "stay-see." The Stasi secret police wanted to "stay" and "see" everything everyone was doing.

More B1 words

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/

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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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Illustration of the B1 German word “die Verfassung”, which translates to “constitution”. An immense stone tablet rests on a hilltop with a beam of light striking it, and every animal in the valley below stands in one calm orderly circle around it.
die Verfassung

/fɛɐ̯ˈfasʊŋ/

constitution

Examples

Die Verfassung garantiert Grundrechte für alle.

The constitution guarantees fundamental rights for everyone.

Jedes Land hat seine eigene Verfassung.

Every country has its own constitution.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “verhaften”, which translates to “to arrest”. A guilty-looking little storm cloud sits on the ground with a ring of glowing starlight cuffs closed around its middle, hanging its head in comic remorse.
verhaften

/fɛɐ̯ˈhaftn̩/

to arrest

Principal parts

verhaften, verhaftete, hat verhaftet

ich verhafte
du verhaftest
er/sie/es verhaftet
wir verhaften
ihr verhaftet
sie/Sie verhaften

Examples

Die Polizei konnte den Dieb verhaften.

The police were able to arrest the thief.

Er wurde gestern Abend verhaftet.

He was arrested last night.

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Illustration of the B1 German word “der Wachturm”, which translates to “watchtower”. Close-up of one huge lonely stone watchtower filling the frame, a bright beam sweeping from its lantern-room out across the dark, tall and vigilant on a rocky crag under a starlit sky. No people.
der Wachturm

/ˈvaxˌtʊʁm/

watchtower

Examples

Der alte Wachturm bot eine gute Aussicht.

The old watchtower offered a good view.

Man baute einen Wachturm zur Überwachung der Grenze.

A watchtower was built to monitor the border.

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feminine Teilung — division, partition

TeilungÜberwachungVerantwortungVerfassungverhaftenWachturmAll German word pages

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