to debate
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to debate
To hold a formal and often public discussion about a specific topic, in which different points of view are exchanged and argued.
Im Bundestag debattierten die Abgeordneten stundenlang über das neue Gesetz.
In the Bundestag, the members of parliament debated the new law for hours.
The verb 'debattieren' (to debate) is almost always used with the preposition 'über' (about) and the accusative to name the topic of the discussion. You can also debate 'mit' someone (dative).
Die Politiker debattieren über eine Steuererhöhung.
The politicians are debating a tax increase.
The ending '-ieren' shows that 'debattieren' (to debate) is a loanword that was adopted into the German language. Many verbs ending in '-ieren' have a rather formal or technical character.
Die Experten debattieren die Ergebnisse der Studie.
The experts are debating the results of the study.
You can often recognize the formal meaning from signal words related to politics, academia, or the media. Typical subjects are 'Abgeordnete' (members of parliament), 'Experten' (experts), or 'die Parteien' (the parties).
Im Fernsehen debattierten die Kandidaten über die Zukunft des Landes.
On television, the candidates debated the future of the country.
When 'debattieren' (to debate) is used for private, everyday discussions, it often sounds slightly ironic or exaggerated. It emphasizes that a discussion is very long and intense.
Wir haben eine Stunde lang debattiert, welchen Film wir schauen.
We debated for an hour about which film to watch.
to discuss
'diskutieren' and 'debattieren' both mean that different opinions on a topic are exchanged. 'diskutieren' is more general and fits many normal conversations. 'debattieren' sounds more formal or stronger. It fits especially well for public or political conversations in which clear positions are represented. It can also mean that people talk or argue about something for a long time and very intensely. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with arguments. In everyday life, 'diskutieren' is usually more natural; 'debattieren' fits better when the conversation is official, public, or very intense.
Im Parlament debattieren die Abgeordneten über ein neues Schulgesetz.
In parliament, the representatives debate a new school law.
Nach der Arbeit diskutieren die Kollegen über die neuen Busverbindungen.
After work, the colleagues discuss the new bus routes.