das  Ehrenamt

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈeːʁənˌʔamt/

What does das Ehrenamt mean? 🤔

Das Ehrenamt refers to voluntary, unpaid work or a position undertaken for the common good or within an association, organization, or institution. It's a role or task one takes on out of Ehre (honor) and commitment, not primarily for financial reward (although a small expense allowance, Aufwandsentschädigung, is sometimes paid).

It's a central component of civil society (Zivilgesellschaft) in Germany.

• It is always neuter: das Ehrenamt.

Grammar in Detail 🧐

The word Ehrenamt is a neuter noun.

Declension of das Ehrenamt

Example Sentences ✍️

• Viele Menschen engagieren sich in einem Ehrenamt.
  (Many people are involved in voluntary work.)
• Sein Ehrenamt im Sportverein nimmt viel Zeit in Anspruch.
  (His voluntary position at the sports club takes up a lot of time.)
• Die Gemeinde würdigte ihre langjährige Tätigkeit im Ehrenamt.
  (The community honored her long-standing voluntary work.)
• Ohne die vielen Ehrenämter wäre das soziale Leben ärmer.
  (Without the many voluntary positions, social life would be poorer.)

How to use Ehrenamt? 📝

The term Ehrenamt is used to describe any kind of voluntary work or position that is unpaid (or minimally compensated) and often serves a social, cultural, or political purpose.

• Typical contexts: Voluntary fire brigades (Freiwillige Feuerwehr), sports clubs (Sportvereine), political parties (at the local level), social institutions (e.g., food banks - Tafel), environmental organizations, church communities.
• Distinction: It is clearly distinct from bezahlte Arbeit (paid work), a Hauptberuf (main job), or Erwerbstätigkeit (gainful employment). The focus is on commitment and service to the community, not income.
• Common phrases: You often hear ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit (voluntary activity), im Ehrenamt tätig sein (to be active in a voluntary capacity), or ein Ehrenamt bekleiden/innehaben (to hold a voluntary office).

Memory Aids 🧠

Article Mnemonic: Think of das Amt (the office/post). An Ehrenamt is a special kind of Amt, so it stays das Ehrenamt.

Meaning Mnemonic: It's composed of Ehre (honor) + Amt (office/post). So, you perform this 'office' (Amt) for 'honor' (Ehre), not for money. It's an honorable duty.

Similar and Opposite Terms 🔄

A Little Joke 😄

Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Haben Sie Hobbys?"
Mitarbeiter: "Ja, ich engagiere mich ehrenamtlich bei der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr."
Chef: "Sehr löblich!"

(Boss asks the new employee: "Do you have any hobbies?"
Employee: "Yes, I volunteer with the voluntary fire brigade."
Boss: "Very commendable!" [Note: "löblich" (commendable) sounds a bit like "löschen" (to extinguish)])

Poem about Volunteering 📜

Nicht für Lohn, nicht für Geld,
Steht man bereit in dieser Welt.
Für andre da, mit Herz und Hand,
Das ist das Ehrenamt im Land.
Ob Sport, Kultur, ob alt, ob jung,
Es hält die Gemeinschaft in Schwung.

(Not for wages, not for pay,
One stands ready in this world today.
There for others, with heart and hand,
That's the Ehrenamt across the land.
Be it sports, culture, old or young,
It keeps the community going strong.)

Who or what am I? Riddle Time! 🤔

Ich bin eine Arbeit, doch Lohn gibt es kaum,
Ich erfülle manch sozialen Raum.
Man leistet mich freiwillig, mit Engagement und Mut,
Tue der Gemeinschaft damit Gutes.

Was bin ich?

(I am a job, but there's hardly any pay,
I fill many a social space today.
I'm done voluntarily, with commitment and might,
Doing good for the community, making things bright.

What am I?

Solution: das Ehrenamt (voluntary work/position))

Good to Know 🤓

Word Composition:

• Ehre: means 'honor', 'respect', 'prestige'.
• Amt: means 'office', 'post', 'position', 'duty'.

Combined, das Ehrenamt describes a position or task undertaken 'ehrenhalber' (as a matter of honor), out of a sense of duty or commitment.

Cultural Significance: Ehrenamt holds significant social importance in Germany and is supported by the state (e.g., through the Ehrenamtskarte - volunteer card - or tax benefits for expense allowances). It is considered a vital pillar of democracy and social cohesion (sozialer Zusammenhalt).