German Decisions & Choices Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary of making up your mind in German: entscheiden, beschließen, and entschließen all mean "to decide," but they aren't interchangeable in the way English speakers expect. English gets by with one verb; German splits the same idea across at least three, plus a noun for each (die Entscheidung, der Entschluss) that doesn't just tack "-ing" onto the verb the way English does.
Learn these 18 words
Spaced-repetition flashcards, straight in your browser. No sign-up, no install — the same review ladder Anki uses, on the words above.
All 18 words
to consider, think over
Ich muss noch kurz überlegen. — I still need to think it over briefly.
- ablehnenB1
reject, decline
Er hat mein Angebot, ihm zu helfen, abgelehnt. — He declined my offer to help him.
- abmachenB1
arrange, agree
Wir hatten doch abgemacht, dass du die Getränke besorgst. — We had agreed that you would get the drinks.
accept
Ich kann diese Bedingungen nicht akzeptieren. — I cannot accept these conditions.
- annehmenB1
accept, assume
Ich nehme Ihre Einladung gern an. — I gladly accept your invitation.
exclude, rule out
Das kann man nicht ganz ausschließen. — You cannot completely rule that out.
plural: die Auswahlen
selection, choice
Wir müssen eine Auswahl aus den Büchern treffen. — We must make a selection from the books.
decide, resolve
Wir haben beschlossen, uns ein kleineres Auto zu kaufen. — We decided to buy ourselves a smaller car.
to prefer
Ich bevorzuge Tee gegenüber Kaffee. — I prefer tea over coffee.
decide
Das kann ich nicht allein entscheiden, da muss ich erst fragen. — I cannot decide that alone; I must ask first.
decisive
Das war der entscheidende Moment im Spiel. — That was the decisive moment in the game.
plural: die Entscheidungen
decision
Diese wichtige Entscheidung möchte ich zuerst mit meinem Mann besprechen. — I want to discuss this important decision with my husband first.
decide
Mein Nachbar hat sich nun doch entschlossen, sein Auto zu verkaufen. — My neighbor has now decided to sell his car after all.
plural: die Entschlüsse
decision, resolution
Sie fasste einen wichtigen Entschluss für ihr Leben. — She made an important decision for her life.
to fix, determine
Ich weiß noch nicht, ob ich das mache. Ich möchte mich noch nicht festlegen. — I don't know yet if I'll do it. I don't want to commit yet.
to fix, set
Die Schule hat den Termin für die Prüfung festgesetzt. — The school set the date for the exam.
plural: die Optionen
option
Wir haben mehrere Optionen zur Auswahl. — We have several options to choose from.
to outvote / overrule
Das Gremium überstimmte den Vorschlag des Direktors. — The committee overruled the director's proposal.
How to learn this set
Notice that entscheiden, entschließen, and beschließen all share the prefix ent-/be- pattern typical of verbs about completing a mental process, and entschließen is reflexive (sich entschließen) while entscheiden usually isn't. Drill the noun pairs separately from the verbs: die Entscheidung comes from entscheiden, but der Entschluss comes from entschließen, and mixing them up is the single most common error at this level. Also group festlegen and festsetzen together since both use fest- to mean "fix/pin down," and they're close enough in meaning that you can often use either one. For annehmen vs. akzeptieren, practice with sentences where you're accepting an idea (akzeptieren) versus accepting an offer or assuming something is true (annehmen) so the difference sticks.
More Society & Abstract word packs
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between entscheiden, beschließen, and entschließen?
Entscheiden is the general, neutral word for deciding, often between options (sich entscheiden für). Beschließen leans toward deciding on a course of action, often after deliberation (a committee beschließt something). Entschließen is almost always reflexive, sich entschließen, and stresses the personal act of making up your mind, often after hesitation.
Is die Entscheidung the same as der Entschluss?
They both translate as "decision," but Entscheidung is the everyday word and pairs with entscheiden, while Entschluss is a bit more formal or personal and pairs with entschließen. You'll see Entscheidung far more often in daily German.
What's the difference between annehmen and akzeptieren?
Akzeptieren means to accept something as valid or true, like a decision or a rule. Annehmen covers that too but also means to accept an offer or assume something, so it has a wider range than the more narrow, formal-sounding akzeptieren.
Other popular word packs
Free to start · no credit card
Words fade fast — spaced reviews make them stick.
Based on Dr. Hermann Ebbinghaus · memory science, proven since 1885