01
die Stimme
voice
The sound that a person produces with their larynx when speaking or singing.
example
Er hat eine sehr tiefe und angenehme Stimme.
He has a very deep and pleasant voice.
die Stimme
voice / vote
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Stimme' (voice/vote) is closely related to the verb 'stimmen' (to be correct/to agree). When something 'stimmt' (is correct), it is right or fitting. So a voice is originally the sound that 'fits' a person or with which they make themselves understood.
EXAMPLE
Ihre Stimme passt perfekt zu diesem Lied.
Her voice fits this song perfectly.
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning of 'Stimme' (voice/vote) from the context. If it is about elections or politics, it means a vote (m02). In the context of music, it refers to a melodic line (m04). In debates, it often means opinions (m03), usually in the plural 'Stimmen' (voices/opinions).
EXAMPLE
Die Partei erhielt bei der letzten Wahl viele Stimmen.
The party received many votes in the last election.
Typical adjectives
To describe the sound of a voice, adjectives such as 'hoch' (high) or 'tief' (deep), 'laut' (loud) or 'leise' (quiet), and 'angenehm' (pleasant) or 'zitternd' (trembling) are often used.
EXAMPLE
Er sprach mit leiser Stimme, damit niemand ihn hörte.
He spoke in a quiet voice so that no one would hear him.
Typical collocations
In a political context, a vote is typically 'abgegeben' (cast). After an election, the votes are 'gezählt' (counted).
EXAMPLE
Jeder wahlberechtigte Bürger darf seine Stimme abgeben.
Every eligible voter is allowed to cast their vote.
Fixed expression
'Die innere Stimme' (the inner voice) is a fixed expression for intuition or conscience. You can 'auf seine innere Stimme hören' (listen to your inner voice) or 'ihr folgen' (follow it).
EXAMPLE
Ich hätte auf meine innere Stimme hören sollen.
I should have listened to my inner voice.
Compare with
Stimme vs Meinung
opinion
'die Meinung' and 'die Stimme' can both mean a view on a topic. 'Meinung' is the normal word for what a person thinks or believes. In this context, 'Stimme' more often means an expressed opinion within a group or public discussion. For example, you can say that different voices can be heard. The words can be confusing because 'Stimme' sometimes does not mean the sound of speaking, but rather a point of view. For a personal view in everyday life, 'Meinung' is usually more natural.
Stimme
Bei der Versammlung gab es auch kritische Stimmen zum neuen Einkaufszentrum.
At the meeting, there were also critical voices about the new shopping center.
Meinung
Aylin hat ihre Meinung zu dem Plan nach dem Gespräch geändert.
Aylin changed her opinion about the plan after the conversation.
In real life
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