federal state
das Bundesland, die Bundesländer
Loading your saved state.
federal state
One of the constituent states that make up a federal republic such as Germany or Austria. Each federal state has its own government and certain laws of its own.
Bayern ist das flächenmäßig größte Bundesland in Deutschland.
Bavaria is the largest federal state in Germany by area.
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Bundesländer |
| genitive | des Bundeslandes |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Bundesland | die Bundesländer |
| accusative | das Bundesland | die Bundesländer |
| dative | dem Bundesland | den Bundesländern |
| genitive | des Bundeslandes des Bundeslands | der Bundesländer |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
The word is made up of 'der Bund' (federation) and 'das Land' (state/country). The '-es-' is a linking element that connects the two parts. A Bundesland is therefore literally a state that is part of a federation.
Jedes deutsche Bundesland hat eine eigene Hauptstadt.
Every German federal state has its own capital.
This word is central to the political system in Germany and Austria. Germany consists of 16 federal states, Austria of 9.
Berlin ist sowohl die Hauptstadt Deutschlands als auch ein eigenes Bundesland.
Berlin is both the capital of Germany and its own federal state.
To indicate a location, you use 'in' with the dative. To express movement toward a place, you use 'in' with the accusative.
Er lebt im Bundesland Hessen.
He lives in the federal state of Hesse.
country / countryside / land
Land and Bundesland can both refer to a constituent state in a federation. Bundesland is unambiguous, whereas Land has this meaning only from the context and can also mean other things. Without a clear political context, Bundesland is therefore the more precise choice.
Hessen ist ein Bundesland im Zentrum Deutschlands.
Hesse is a federal state in central Germany.
Das Land Hessen plant ein neues Gesetz für seine Schulen.
The state of Hesse is planning a new law for its schools.
