German Power & Influence Vocabulary
This set runs from basic words like die Macht and der Einfluss up to heavier vocabulary like die Hegemonie, unterjochen, and versklaven, tracking the whole range from having influence to crushing someone else's. One thing that trips people up: die Macht is a false friend for "might" in the archaic sense, not related to "make" or "match," and machtlos doesn't mean "matchless" but "powerless."
Learn these 17 words
Spaced-repetition flashcards, straight in your browser. No sign-up, no install — the same review ladder Anki uses, on the words above.
All 17 words
to control
Die Regierung kontrolliert die Preise streng. — The government strictly controls the prices.
plural: die Mächte
power
Der König hatte viel Macht im Land. — The king had a lot of power in the country.
- mächtigA2
powerful
Sie ist eine sehr mächtige Politikerin. — She is a very powerful politician.
plural: die Anführer
leader
Der Anführer der Gruppe gab klare Befehle. — The leader of the group gave clear orders.
plural: die Autoritäten
authority
Der Lehrer hat große Autorität in der Klasse. — The teacher has great authority in the class.
plural: die Einflüsse
influence
Das Wetter hat Einfluss auf die Gesundheit der Menschen. — Weather has an influence on people's health.
to rule
Der Kaiser herrschte über viele Länder. — The emperor ruled over many countries.
dominance
Seine Dominanz in der Gruppe ist offensichtlich. — His dominance in the group is obvious.
- machtlosB2
powerless
Die machtlose Minderheit konnte nichts ändern. — The powerless minority could change nothing.
popularity
Die Popularität des Sängers wächst jeden Tag. — The singer's popularity grows every day.
plural: die Hegemonien
hegemony
Die Hegemonie dieser Großmacht prägte die Region. — The hegemony of this superpower shaped the region.
plural: die Herrschaftsgebiete
dominion / territory
Das Herrschaftsgebiet des Königs erstreckte sich über mehrere Provinzen. — The king's dominion extended over several provinces.
- huldigenC1
to pay homage to
Die Höflinge huldigten dem neu gekrönten König. — The courtiers paid homage to the newly crowned king.
to subjugate
Der Tyrann wollte alle unterjochen. — The tyrant wanted to subjugate everyone.
- untertanC1
subservient
Die untertan machte Bevölkerung konnte nicht rebellieren. — The subservient population could not rebel.
plural: die Unterwerfungen
subjection / subjugation
Die Unterwerfung der Völker war brutal. — The subjugation of the peoples was brutal.
to enslave
Die Kolonialisten versklaven die lokale Bevölkerung. — The colonists enslave the local population.
How to learn this set
Notice that die Macht, mächtig, and machtlos all share the same root, so once you know der Macht is feminine, the adjective forms built from it (mächtig, machtlos) are easy to remember without separate gender drilling. A second pattern: herrschen (to rule), der Herrscher would fit in, and das Herrschaftsgebiet all come from Herr, so learning that root unlocks three words at once. For the heavier verbs, unterjochen, untertan, and die Unterwerfung, drill them together as a group about domination rather than in isolation, since they rarely show up outside that context.
More Society & Abstract word packs
Frequently asked questions
Is die Macht the same as die Kraft?
No. Die Macht is power in the sense of control or authority over people or situations, while die Kraft is physical or mechanical strength. You'd use die Macht for a king's power and die Kraft for how strong someone's grip is.
What's the difference between der Einfluss and die Autorität?
Der Einfluss (influence) is the ability to affect outcomes or opinions without necessarily having formal power, while die Autorität is recognized, often official authority. A popular blogger has Einfluss; a judge has Autorität.
Why is Herrschaftsgebiet such a long word?
It's a compound of Herrschaft (rule, dominion) and Gebiet (territory, area), so it literally means the territory under someone's rule. German builds precise compound nouns like this instead of using separate words the way English does.
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