vote / coordination
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vote
A process in which a group of people makes a joint decision or expresses its opinion by casting votes.
Die Abstimmung über den Antrag ergab eine knappe Mehrheit.
The vote on the motion resulted in a narrow majority.
The noun 'die Abstimmung' (vote/coordination/tuning) comes from the separable verb 'abstimmen' (to vote / to coordinate / to tune). Both words contain the noun 'die Stimme' (voice), which explains the connection to voting or to adjusting tones.
Wir müssen noch abstimmen, wer das Protokoll schreibt.
We still have to decide by vote who will write the minutes.
You can recognize the meaning from the context: if it is about politics or elections, it means casting a vote. In the context of projects, it means coordination. In technology or music, it means fine-tuning.
Die Abstimmung im Team war schlecht, deshalb gab es viele Fehler.
The coordination within the team was poor, so there were many mistakes.
When you want to say what is being decided on, use the preposition 'über' with the accusative. This is typical for the voting meaning.
Die Abstimmung über das neue Gesetz findet morgen statt.
The vote on the new law will take place tomorrow.
When it is about coordination, the preposition 'mit' is often used to name the partner or the other party. A typical phrase is 'in Abstimmung mit jemandem' (in coordination with someone).
Alle Maßnahmen wurden in enger Abstimmung mit der Geschäftsleitung getroffen.
All measures were taken in close coordination with management.
choice / election
'die Wahl' and 'die Abstimmung' can both refer to a process in which people cast their votes. 'die Wahl' is used especially when people are elected to an office, for example a parliament or a mayor. 'die Abstimmung' is more general: a group decides on a question, a proposal, or an opinion. Learners may confuse the words because votes are counted in both cases. Memory tip: for people and offices, 'Wahl' often fits; for yes-no questions or group decisions, 'Abstimmung' often fits.
Nach der Diskussion gab es eine Abstimmung über den neuen Plan.
After the discussion, there was a vote on the new plan.
Am Sonntag findet die Wahl des neuen Bürgermeisters statt.
The election of the new mayor takes place on Sunday.