5.14 Law and rights — Epoché
What you will be able to do Tell apart the German words that English covers with law and right : Recht , Gesetz , Justiz , Gerechtigkeit . Follow a crime report from the deed to the verdict: Täter, Opfer, Anzeige, Ermittlungen, Verdächtige, Prozess, Urteil . Use the verbs of the courtroom: verteidigen, gestehen, leugnen, beweisen, verurteilen, freisprechen . Deal with everyday law: fines, tickets, contracts, inheritance. Sentences from this lesson, before the explanation. Read the German aloud; all of them come back below. German English Der Richter hat ihn zum Tode verurteilt. [1] The judge condemned him to death. Der Richter verurteilte ihn zu einem Jahr Gefängnis. [2] The judge sentenced him to one year's imprisonment. Es lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass der Gefangene schuldig ist. [3] There is no denying that the prisoner is guilty. Du bist kein Kanadier, richtig? [4] You're not Canadian, are you? Er wurde für seine Verbrechen bestraft. [5] He was punished for his crimes. Vater ließ von seinem Anwalt sein Testament aufsetzen. [6] Father had his lawyer draw up his will. Prerequisites : 5.13 — you need the political vocabulary from 5.13 Vocabulary , the passive from 2.19 Grammar , and Konjunktiv I from 2.26 Grammar . Crime and law are among the most frequent topics in German news, and they are also the subject of Germany's favourite television genre, the crime series. The vocabulary is a mixture: some of it is international ( legal , illegal , Testament ), but the core is native German and has no English look-alike: Gericht , Urteil , Täter , Zeuge . Many of the words come in families built on one root, so the sixty words of this lesson are easier to learn than their number suggests. Word list Sixty words in five groups. Law, rights and justice Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes das Recht（-e） de law (as a system); right Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs The law as a whole and a right ; to be right is recht haben . A single law is das Gesetz . Sie haben das Recht auf einen Anwalt. [7] You have the right to an attorney. das Gericht（-e） de court of law; dish Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs Two meanings, both from richten : a court (where one judges) and a dish on a menu (what is prepared). Das Gericht verurteilte ihn zum Tode. [8] The court sentenced him to death. das Urteil（-e） de verdict, judgement; sentence Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs A court's decision and also a personal judgement. Das Urteil wurde gefällt. [9] The verdict has been reached. der Richter（-） de judge Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs From richten , to judge ; a woman is die Richterin . Der Richter verkündete das Urteil. [10] The judge read the verdict. der Rechtsanwalt（¨-e） de lawyer, attorney Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs The full title of Anwalt ; a woman is die Rechtsanwältin . Er ist Rechtsanwalt. [11] He's an attorney. die Justiz de the judiciary, the justice system Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs The courts as an institution; justice as fairness is Gerechtigkeit . Die Justiz ist blind. [12] Justice is blind. der Rechtsstaat（-en） de state under the rule of law Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs One word for the rule of law as a property of a state. Diese Taten sind Machtmissbrauch und untergraben den Rechtsstaat wesentlich. [13] These actions are an abuse of power and fundamentally undermine the rule of law. die Würde de dignity Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs The first noun of the Basic Law's first article. In Artikel 1 des Grundgesetzes wird die Würde des Menschen geschützt. [14] The first article of basic law protects the dignity of man. die Pflicht（-en） de duty, obligation Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs In compounds it means compulsory : das Pflichtfach (a compulsory subject), die Schulpflicht (compulsory schooling). Tu deine Pflicht. [15] Do your duty. gerecht de fair, just Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs For decisions and people; right in the sense of correct is richtig . Das klingt gerecht. [16] That sounds fair. die Gerechtigkeit de justice, fairness Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs From gerecht + -igkeit . Wir wollen Gerechtigkeit. [17] We want justice. ungerecht de unfair, unjust Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs The prefix un- as in English. Das wäre ungerecht. [18] That would be unfair. legal de legal, lawful Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs The same word; more official is rechtmäßig . Ist das legal? [19] Is this legal? illegal de illegal Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs The same word. Glücksspiel ist illegal. [20] Gambling is illegal. verboten de forbidden, prohibited Gender / part of speech adjective (participle) How English differs The participle of verbieten ; on signs: Rauchen verboten . Das ist verboten. [21] It's forbidden. das Verbot（-e） de ban, prohibition Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs From verbieten , to forbid . Das Verbot wird von keinem mehr ernst genommen. [22] The ban is no longer taken seriously by anybody. die Erlaubnis（-se） de permission, permit Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Nouns in -nis are mostly feminine or neuter; this one is feminine. Ich brauche eine Erlaubnis. [23] I need authorization. Crime Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes das Verbrechen（-） de crime Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs A serious crime; the infinitive of verbrechen used as a noun. Armut führt zu Verbrechen. [24] Poverty leads to crime. der Verbrecher（-） de criminal Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs From Verbrechen . Sind das Verbrecher? [25] Are they criminals? der Täter（-） de perpetrator, culprit Gender / part of speech masculine noun How Engl