disagreement
Loading your saved state.
disagreement
A situation in which two or more people have different views or judgments about something; a mild, factual conflict.
Wir hatten eine kleine Meinungsverschiedenheit darüber, welcher Film besser ist, aber wir haben uns schnell geeinigt.
We had a small disagreement about which film was better, but we quickly came to an agreement.
The word is long, but logically built: it consists of 'Meinung' (opinion), the linking -s, and 'Verschiedenheit' (difference/diversity, from 'verschieden' meaning different). So it literally means that opinions are different.
Das lange Wort „Meinungsverschiedenheit“ ist leicht zu verstehen, wenn man es in seine Teile zerlegt.
The long word 'Meinungsverschiedenheit' is easy to understand if you break it down into its parts.
Common verbs used with this noun are 'eine Meinungsverschiedenheit haben' (to have a disagreement), 'eine Meinungsverschiedenheit beilegen' (to settle/resolve a disagreement), or 'es kommt zu einer Meinungsverschiedenheit' (a disagreement occurs/arises).
Die beiden Politiker konnten ihre Meinungsverschiedenheit schnell beilegen.
The two politicians were able to settle their disagreement quickly.
To name the topic of the conflict, you use the preposition 'über' (about/over) with the accusative. To name the people involved, you use 'zwischen' (between) with the dative.
Es gab eine Meinungsverschiedenheit über die richtige Vorgehensweise.
There was a disagreement about the right course of action.
'Meinungsverschiedenheit' (disagreement) is a fairly neutral and factual word. It is often used to present a conflict as less emotional or dramatic.
In der Teambesprechung kam es zu einer kurzen Meinungsverschiedenheit.
In the team meeting, there was a brief disagreement.
argument / dispute
'der Streit' and 'die Meinungsverschiedenheit' both describe a conflict between people. However, 'Streit' sounds stronger and more emotional. People may raise their voices, get angry, or even stay mad at each other for longer. 'Meinungsverschiedenheit' fits better when two people simply have different views and discuss them in a matter-of-fact way. Learners can confuse the words because both have to do with disagreement. As a guide: if feelings and tension are important, 'Streit' fits better. If things remain calm and factual, 'Meinungsverschiedenheit' is more precise.
Beim Termin bleibt die Meinungsverschiedenheit sachlich, weil beide ruhig miteinander sprechen.
At the appointment, the disagreement remains factual because both of them speak calmly with each other.
Vor der Reise gab es im Garten einen Streit über die Aufgaben im Haushalt.
Before the trip, there was an argument in the garden about the household chores.