identity card
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identity card
An official card-format document with a photo that is used to establish a person's identity.
Für die Eröffnung eines Bankkontos müssen Sie einen gültigen Personalausweis vorlegen.
To open a bank account, you must present a valid identity card.
The word is a compound of 'Personal-' (from 'Person' (person)) and 'Ausweis' (ID card). The 's' in between is a linking s that connects the two parts. So it is literally an ID card for a person.
Ohne Personalausweis kann man sich nicht identifizieren.
Without an identity card, you cannot identify yourself.
Common verbs used in connection with 'Personalausweis' (identity card) are 'beantragen' (to apply for), 'verlängern' (to renew/extend), 'vorzeigen' (to show/present), or 'kontrollieren' (to check). Adjectives are often 'gültig' (valid) or 'abgelaufen' (expired).
Mein Personalausweis ist abgelaufen, ich muss einen neuen beantragen.
My identity card has expired; I need to apply for a new one.
This document is needed in many official situations to prove your identity. You need it, for example, at government offices, banks, or during a police check.
Bei der Wahl müssen Sie Ihren Personalausweis vorzeigen.
When voting, you must show your identity card.
passport / pass
'der Pass' and 'der Personalausweis' are both official documents that can be used to show your identity. A 'Pass' is especially important for travel abroad and also confirms citizenship. A 'Personalausweis' is an identity card in card format that is often used for identification in everyday life. The words can be confused because both have a photo and are shown during checks. For international travel, people usually say 'Pass' or 'Reisepass'; for a normal identity check within the country, 'Personalausweis' is often more natural.
An der Kasse muss Lena ihren Personalausweis zeigen.
At the checkout, Lena has to show her identity card.
David hat im Zug gemerkt, dass sein Pass noch zu Hause liegt.
On the train, David realized that his passport was still at home.