The Language of Diplomacy
To talk about international treaties, you first need the key players: an ambassador (der Botschafter), a representative (der Vertreter), or a diplomat (der Diplomat).
| The ambassador of the country has arrived today. | Der Botschafter des Landes ist heute angekommen. |
| The representative of the government is reading the treaty. | Der Vertreter der Regierung liest den Vertrag. |
When these officials negotiate on behalf of their nation, their ultimate goal is often to formally sign (unterzeichnen) an agreement.
| We refuse to sign this treaty. | Wir lehnen es ab, dieses Abkommen zu unterzeichnen. |
Formal Noun-Verb Combinations
In diplomatic, legal, and formal German, speakers often avoid simple verbs in favor of Nomen-Verb-Verbindungen (noun-verb combinations). These constructions pair a noun with a specific "support" verb to express a single action, making the language sound more official.
When these expressions target a specific issue or person, they require a fixed preposition. Two common examples are Stellung nehmen zu (to comment on) and Bezug nehmen auf (to refer to).
| The ambassador must comment on the problem. | Der Botschafter muss zum Problem Stellung nehmen. |
| I would like to refer to your report. | Ich möchte auf Ihren Bericht Bezug nehmen. |
Exerting Influence
The verbs üben and ausüben act as support verbs for several formal actions. When officials criticize or pressure someone, they literally "exercise" that action:
- Kritik üben an (to criticize)
- Druck ausüben auf (to exert pressure on)
| The representative criticizes the decision. | Der Vertreter übt Kritik an der Entscheidung. |
| Society exerts pressure on the government. | Die Gesellschaft übt Druck auf die Regierung aus. |
Lodging a Protest
Finally, if a government formally objects to a ruling or a rule, they use the combination Protest einlegen gegen (to lodge a protest against).
| The minister lodges a protest against the rules. | Der Minister legt Protest gegen die Regeln ein. |
