der Abgeordnete
member of parliament
An elected member of a parliament, such as the Bundestag, who represents the interests of citizens.
EXAMPLE
Der Abgeordnete stimmte gegen das neue Gesetz.
The member of parliament voted against the new law.
der Abgeordnete
member of parliament
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word 'Abgeordnete' is a nominalized participle of the verb 'abordnen' (to delegate / send as a representative). 'Abordnen' means to send someone as a representative. An 'Abgeordneter' is therefore literally a 'delegated person'.
EXAMPLE
Die Partei hat drei Experten in den Ausschuss abgeordnet.
The party delegated three experts to the committee.
Adjectival declension
This noun is declined like an adjective. The ending changes depending on article, case, and gender. The forms include 'der Abgeordnete' (the male member of parliament), 'die Abgeordnete' (the female member of parliament), and 'die Abgeordneten' (the members of parliament; plural).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mit einem Abgeordneten gesprochen.
I spoke with a member of parliament.
Typical collocations
In a political context, the word is often used with certain verbs. Typical phrases are: 'ein Abgeordneter sitzt im Parlament' (a member of parliament sits in parliament), 'vertritt einen Wahlkreis' (represents a constituency), or 'stimmt über ein Gesetz ab' (votes on a law).
EXAMPLE
Der Abgeordnete vertritt die Interessen seiner Wähler.
The member of parliament represents the interests of his voters.
Compare with
Abgeordnete vs Volksvertreter
elected representative
Both words can refer to an elected member of a parliament. Abgeordneter is the neutral official term; Volksvertreter emphasizes that the person is expected to represent the interests of the citizens. This word is especially appropriate when that responsibility is being emphasized.
Abgeordnete
Der Abgeordnete aus Köln stimmte im Parlament für den Vorschlag.
The member of parliament from Cologne voted for the proposal in parliament.
Volksvertreter
Der Volksvertreter aus Köln versprach, die Sorgen der Bürger ins Parlament zu tragen.
The elected representative from Cologne promised to bring the citizens’ concerns to parliament.
In real life
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