German Rights & Freedom Vocabulary List
This set covers the vocabulary of rights, freedom, and their absence: das Menschenrecht, die Bürgerrechte, and die Entrechtung (disenfranchisement) sit alongside the abstract nouns die Würde and die Verantwortung. One surprise for English speakers: German has two words for freedom of speech, die Meinungsfreiheit and die Redefreiheit, and while both exist, die Meinungsfreiheit is the one you'll actually hear and read; die Redefreiheit is marked in this set as wenig benutzt (rarely used), so don't lean on it in conversation.
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Learn these 14 words
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All 14 words
plural: die Demokratien
democracy
In einer Demokratie hat jeder eine Stimme. — In a democracy everyone has a voice.
plural: die Menschenrechte
human right
Bildung ist ein wichtiges Menschenrecht. — Education is an important human right.
plural: die Verantwortungen
responsibility
Sie tragen die Verantwortung für Ihre Kinder. — You bear responsibility for your children.
entitled / eligible / justified / legitimate
Sie sind berechtigt, den Raum zu benutzen. — You are entitled to use the room.
civil rights
Die Bürgerrechte sind für alle Menschen wichtig. — Civil rights are important for all people.
plural: die Grundrechte
fundamental right
Das Grundrecht auf Meinungsfreiheit ist wichtig. — The fundamental right to free speech is important.
freedom of speech (wenig benutzt)
Meinungsfreiheit ist ein Grundrecht der Demokratie. — Freedom of speech is a fundamental right of democracy.
abuse
Der Missbrauch von Kindern ist ein schweres Verbrechen. — The abuse of children is a serious crime.
plural: die Wahlrechte
the right to vote
Das Wahlrecht ist eine wichtige demokratische Freiheit. — The right to vote is an important democratic freedom.
plural: die Anrechte
a right / entitlement
Jeder Mensch hat ein Anrecht auf menschenwürdige Behandlung. — Every person has an entitlement to dignified treatment.
plural: die Entrechtungen
disenfranchisement
Die Entrechtung von Minderheiten ist inakzeptabel. — The disenfranchisement of minorities is unacceptable.
plural: die Menschenrechtsverletzungen
human rights violation
Die Menschenrechtsverletzung wurde von der UN untersucht. — The human rights violation was investigated by the UN.
freedom of speech
Die Redefreiheit ist ein Grundrecht. — Freedom of speech is a fundamental right.
untouchable / inviolable
Die Menschenwürde ist ein unantastbares Recht. — Human dignity is an inviolable right.
How to learn this set
Notice how many words here are built from Recht: das Menschenrecht, das Grundrecht, das Wahlrecht, das Anrecht, die Bürgerrechte, and even die Entrechtung (literally "de-righting," i.e. stripping someone of rights). Once you know that das Recht is neuter and means both "a right" and "the law," these compounds stop being separate vocabulary items and start being one root with different prefixes attached. Drill them by building the compound yourself from the base noun (Bürger + Recht, Grund + Recht) rather than memorizing each as a whole word, and pay attention to der Missbrauch as the odd one out grammatically, since it's masculine while most of its neighbors here are neuter or feminine.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Meinungsfreiheit and Redefreiheit?
Both mean freedom of speech, but die Meinungsfreiheit is the standard term used in German media, law, and everyday speech. Die Redefreiheit exists and is understood, but it's far less common, so use Meinungsfreiheit if in doubt.
What is the gender of das Menschenrecht?
It's neuter: das Menschenrecht. The plural, die Menschenrechte, is what you'll see most often, since human rights are usually discussed as a set rather than one at a time.
What does Anrecht mean and how is it different from Recht?
Das Anrecht means an entitlement or claim to something specific, often used in the phrase ein Anrecht auf etwas haben (to have a right/claim to something). Das Recht is the broader word for right or law in general, while das Anrecht points to one particular, often earned or conditional, claim.
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