Bundesbürger
German citizen
A citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany.
EXAMPLE
Als Bundesbürger hat man sowohl Rechte als auch Pflichten.
As a German citizen, you have both rights and duties.
der Bundesbürger
German citizen
der Bundesbürger, die Bundesbürger
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Bundesbürger, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Bundesbürger |
| genitive | des Bundesbürgers |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Bundesbürger | die Bundesbürger |
| accusative | den Bundesbürger | die Bundesbürger |
| dative | dem Bundesbürger | den Bundesbürgern |
| genitive | des Bundesbürgers | der Bundesbürger |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is made up of 'Bund' (short for the Federal Republic), the linking '-es', and 'Bürger' (citizen). So it literally means 'citizen of the Federal Republic'.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Bundesbürger hat das Recht, frei seine Meinung zu äußern.
Every German citizen has the right to express their opinion freely.
Historical context
The term was used especially during the division of Germany to distinguish the citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) from the citizens of the GDR.
EXAMPLE
Nach 1949 gab es in Deutschland Bundesbürger und DDR-Bürger.
After 1949, there were citizens of the Federal Republic and GDR citizens in Germany.
Register and style
'Bundesbürger' (German citizen/citizen of the Federal Republic) is a rather formal and official term. In everyday life, most people simply use 'Deutsche' (Germans) or 'die Deutschen' (the Germans).
EXAMPLE
Laut Statistik ist die Zufriedenheit der Bundesbürger gestiegen.
According to statistics, the satisfaction of German citizens has increased.
Compare with
Bundesbürger vs Staatsbürger
citizen
Staatsbürger is the general term for a citizen of a state; which state is meant must be clear from the context. Bundesbürger, by contrast, specifically refers to a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany. When Germany is meant, both words can refer to the same person.
Bundesbürger
Als Bundesbürger darf Jonas an der Bundestagswahl teilnehmen.
As a German citizen, Jonas is allowed to vote in the federal election.
Staatsbürger
Als deutscher Staatsbürger darf Jonas an der Bundestagswahl teilnehmen.
As a German citizen, Jonas is allowed to vote in the federal election.
In real life
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