01
politisch
political
Relates to politics, the state, the government, or public affairs.
example
Die politische Lage im Land ist derzeit sehr angespannt.
The political situation in the country is currently very tense.
politisch
political
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'politisch' (political) is derived directly from the noun 'die Politik' (politics). The ending '-isch' is a typical ending used to form an adjective from a noun.
EXAMPLE
Viele Jugendliche interessieren sich heute wieder mehr für Politik.
Many young people today are becoming more interested in politics again.
Typical collocations
When referring to the state or public affairs, 'politisch' (political) is often combined with nouns such as 'Partei' (party), 'System' (system), 'Debatte' (debate), 'Entscheidung' (decision), or 'Lage' (situation).
EXAMPLE
Jede politische Partei hat ein eigenes Programm.
Every political party has its own program.
Describing people
When 'politisch' (political) describes a person, it means that the person is interested in politics or is politically active. Typical phrases are 'ein politischer Mensch sein' (to be a political person) or 'politisch aktiv sein' (to be politically active).
EXAMPLE
Mein Onkel ist ein sehr politischer Mensch und diskutiert gern über aktuelle Themen.
My uncle is a very political person and likes discussing current issues.
Context clue
The meaning 'strategically motivated' can often be recognized by signal words such as 'rein' (purely) or 'eher' (rather). In this context, the political decision is often contrasted with a factual or professional justification.
EXAMPLE
Die Wahl des neuen Standorts war eine rein politische Entscheidung.
The choice of the new location was a purely political decision.
Compare with
politisch vs öffentlich
public
'politisch' and 'öffentlich' can both have to do with society, the state, and general affairs. Use 'politisch' when something is about politics, government, parties, or political decisions. 'öffentlich' means that something is not private, that everyone can see it, use it, or know about it, or that it concerns the general public. The words can be confused because political topics are often discussed publicly. But not everything public is political: 'ein öffentlicher Park' (a public park) is there for everyone, but is not necessarily political. And you can also have 'eine politische Meinung' (a political opinion) privately.
politisch
Meine Nachbarin interessiert sich sehr für politische Themen.
My neighbor is very interested in political topics.
öffentlich
Im Urlaub nutzen wir meistens öffentliche Verkehrsmittel.
On vacation, we usually use public transportation.
In real life
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