fellow citizen
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fellow citizen
A person who lives in the same state, city, or municipality and has the same civic rights and duties.
Der Bürgermeister rief seine Mitbürger dazu auf, sich an der Säuberungsaktion zu beteiligen.
The mayor called on his fellow citizens to take part in the cleanup campaign.
The word is made up of the prefix 'Mit-' and the noun 'Bürger' (citizen). The prefix 'Mit-' always expresses a community or a shared quality, as also in 'Mitarbeiter' (colleague / coworker) or 'Mitbewohner' (roommate / housemate).
Meine Mitschüler und ich organisieren ein Fest zum Schuljahresende.
My classmates and I are organizing a celebration for the end of the school year.
'Mitbürger' (fellow citizen) is a rather formal word. You often find it in political speeches, official letters, or in the news. It sounds more formal and respectful than simply 'die Leute' (the people).
Die Polizei bittet die Mitbürger um Hinweise zur Aufklärung des Falls.
The police are asking fellow citizens for information to help solve the case.
The word is used especially often in the direct form of address 'Liebe Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürger' (dear fellow citizens). This formula is a classic opening for public addresses by politicians.
„Liebe Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürger, heute wenden wir uns mit einer wichtigen Nachricht an Sie“, begann die Kanzlerin ihre Rede.
'Dear fellow citizens, today we are addressing you with an important message,' the chancellor began her speech.
citizen
'der Bürger' and 'der Mitbürger' can both mean people who belong to a state, city, or municipality. 'Bürger' is more neutral and can generally mean a person with rights and duties in a state, or a resident of a city. 'Mitbürger' emphasizes what people have in common: the person lives with us in the same city or in the same state. That is why 'Mitbürger' often sounds more personal or is used in public addresses. The words can be confused because they often refer to the same group of people. If you are speaking factually about rights, duties, or residents, 'Bürger' fits. If you want to emphasize the community, 'Mitbürger' fits better.
In einer E-Mail bat der Bürgermeister die Mitbürger um Hilfe bei der Aktion.
In an email, the mayor asked his fellow citizens for help with the campaign.
Jeder Bürger kann beim Amt einen neuen Ausweis beantragen.
Every citizen can apply for a new ID at the office.