01
die Pflicht
duty
A moral or legal obligation; a task or responsibility that someone must fulfill.
example
Es ist die Pflicht der Eltern, für ihre Kinder zu sorgen.
It is the duty of parents to care for their children.
die Pflicht
duty
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Die Pflicht' (duty) is historically related to the verb 'pflegen' (to care for). Originally, 'pflegen' also meant 'to be responsible for something'. So a duty is something one must take care of.
EXAMPLE
Die Pflege der alten Eltern ist für viele eine moralische Pflicht.
Caring for elderly parents is a moral duty for many people.
Sentence structure with infinitive
'Pflicht' is very often used in the construction 'die Pflicht haben, etwas zu tun' (to have the duty to do something). It is followed by an infinitive clause with 'zu'.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Bürger hat die Pflicht, die Gesetze zu respektieren.
Every citizen has the duty to respect the laws.
Common compounds
'Pflicht' is the base word of many important nouns that describe a legal or social obligation. Examples include 'die Schulpflicht' (compulsory schooling), 'die Impfpflicht' (mandatory vaccination), or 'die Anwesenheitspflicht' (mandatory attendance).
EXAMPLE
In Deutschland gilt eine allgemeine Schulpflicht.
In Germany, there is general compulsory schooling.
Typical collocations
Common combinations are 'seine Pflicht erfüllen' (to fulfill one's duty), 'eine Pflicht vernachlässigen' (to neglect a duty), or 'es als seine Pflicht ansehen' (to see it as one's duty). The type of duty is often described with adjectives like 'moralisch' (moral) or 'gesetzlich' (legal).
EXAMPLE
Ein Soldat muss seine Pflicht erfüllen.
A soldier must fulfill his duty.
Fixed expression
The expression 'jemanden in die Pflicht nehmen' means to hold someone responsible or to assign them a task. The person being held responsible is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem schlechten Ergebnis nahm der Chef die gesamte Abteilung in die Pflicht.
After the poor result, the boss held the entire department accountable.
Context: sports
This meaning is very specific and is used almost only in sports, especially in figure skating. It describes the compulsory part of a competition, as opposed to the freely designed 'Kür' (free program/free skate).
EXAMPLE
Die Läuferin war in der Pflicht sehr stark, aber in der Kür machte sie Fehler.
The skater was very strong in the compulsory program, but she made mistakes in the free skate.
Compare with
Pflicht vs Recht
right / law
'das Recht' and 'die Pflicht' are often opposites. A right says what someone is allowed to do or receive. A duty says what someone must do. Both words appear in similar situations, for example at school, at work, or in the state. That is why they can easily be confused. A simple guide is: with 'Recht', it is about being allowed to do something or receive something; with 'Pflicht', it is about having to do something and responsibility.
Pflicht
Nach dem Unfall hatte ich die Pflicht, die Polizei zu rufen.
After the accident, I had the duty to call the police.
Recht
Jeder Mieter hat das Recht auf eine sichere Wohnung.
Every tenant has the right to a safe apartment.
In real life
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