das  Wählen

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈvɛːlən/

🗳️ What exactly does "das Wählen" mean?

Das Wählen is the nominalization (making a noun) of the verb wählen (to choose, to vote, to dial). It refers to the act of choosing/voting/dialing itself, i.e., the process of selecting, deciding, or casting a vote.

Because it's a nominalized infinitive (substantivierter Infinitiv), its grammatical gender is always neuter: das Wählen.

It can refer to:

• Political elections: The process of casting a ballot in an election (e.g., federal election, presidential election). Example: Das Wählen ist ein Grundrecht in einer Demokratie. (Voting is a fundamental right in a democracy.)
• Making a choice: The general process of picking an option from several possibilities. Example: Das Wählen des richtigen Geschenks fiel ihr schwer. (Choosing the right gift was difficult for her.)
• Telephoning: The act of dialing a phone number. Example: Das Wählen dieser Nummer ist kostenlos. (Dialing this number is free of charge.)

⚠️ Important: Das Wählen (the act) is not the same as die Wahl (the election event, the choice itself, or the result).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: das Wählen

Das Wählen is a nominalized infinitive and therefore a neuter noun (Neutrum). It is normally only used in the singular, as it describes the abstract process.

Declension Singular

Here's how 'das Wählen' changes in the singular cases:

🚨 A plural form ("die Wählen") is grammatically possible but extremely uncommon and almost never used.

Contextual Examples

1. Das Wählen per Brief ist eine Option.
   (Voting by mail is an option.)
2. Die Bedeutung des Wählens sollte nicht unterschätzt werden.
   (The importance of voting/choosing should not be underestimated.)
3. Wir geben dem Wählen eine hohe Priorität.
   (We give voting/choosing a high priority.)
4. Er erleichterte ihr das Wählen.
   (He made the choosing/selection easier for her.)

💡 Using "das Wählen" Correctly

Das Wählen describes the process or the action. Here are typical contexts:

• Politics & Society: Often used in the context of democratic processes. The focus is on the act of casting the vote.
  • Example: "Das frühe Wählen am Morgen vermeidet lange Schlangen." (Early voting in the morning avoids long queues.)
  • Comparison: Die Wahl refers more to the event ("Die nächste Wahl findet im September statt" - The next election takes place in September) or the result ("Seine Wahl zum Bürgermeister war überraschend" - His election as mayor was surprising).
• Everyday Decisions: Used when emphasizing the act of selecting.
  • Example: "Das ständige Wählen zwischen verschiedenen Optionen kann ermüdend sein." (Constantly choosing between different options can be tiring.)
  • Comparison: Often interchangeable with die Auswahl (the selection) or das Aussuchen (the act of picking out), but "das Wählen" sounds slightly more formal or emphasizes the process more strongly.
• Telephony: Describes dialing the number.
  • Example: "Nach dem Wählen der Vorwahl müssen Sie kurz warten." (After dialing the area code, you have to wait briefly.)
  • Comparison: Here, it's specific to the technical act.

Generally, das Wählen is used when the process itself is the main focus, not the result or the object being chosen.

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Wählen"

Mnemonic for the Article (das):

Remember: Actions turned into nouns (like Gehen -> das Gehen / walking -> the walking) are neuter in German. Das Wählen is such an action noun, so it's always das. Think: 'the action itself' is neuter. Das itself ends with 's', like neuter's typical ending.

Mnemonic for the Meaning (Act of choosing/voting):

Imagine you have to 'wailin' (sounds like Wählen) because making a choice or voting is such a difficult act. The *act* itself is 'das Wählen'. Or think of dialing a number on an old phone, maybe the sound it makes is a sort of 'wählen' sound.

🔄 Similar & Opposite: Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar, but different words:

• wählen (verb): The action itself (ich wähle - I choose/vote/dial).
• gewählt (adjective/participle): Describes something/someone that has been chosen (der gewählte Kandidat - the elected candidate).

😄 A Little Joke

DE: Warum nehmen Informatiker nicht am Marathon teil?

Weil sie denken, dass das Wählen der richtigen Laufschuhe schon der halbe Sieg ist und der Rest nur Implementierungsdetails sind! 😉

EN: Why don't computer scientists participate in marathons?

Because they think that the choosing (das Wählen) of the right running shoes is already half the victory and the rest is just implementation details! 😉

📜 A Poem about Choosing

DE:
Die Qual der Wahl, so sagt man oft,
Ein Kreuzchen hier, ganz unverhofft?
Nein, das Wählen will bedacht sein,
Für Zukunft, Glück und Sonnenschein.
Ob Stimmzettel, ob Nummer klar,
Der Akt zählt, das ist wunderbar.

EN:
The agony of choice, it's often said,
A little cross here, filled with dread?
No, the choosing needs careful thought,
For future, luck, and battles fought.
Whether ballot paper or number clear,
The act itself is precious, dear.

❓ A Little Riddle

DE:
Ich bin ein Akt, doch keine Tat im Spiel,
Ich forme Zukunft, oft mit ernstem Ziel.
Mal an der Urne, mal am Telefon,
Ich bin der Prozess, die Entscheidung schon.
Mit "das" steh ich stets im Grammatiklicht,
Was bin ich wohl, sag an, erkennst du mich?

EN:
I am an act, but not a deed in play,
I shape the future, often in a serious way.
Sometimes at the ballot box, sometimes on the phone's display,
I am the process, the decision anyway.
With "das" I always stand in grammar's light,
What am I then, can you guess me right?

Solution/Lösung: das Wählen (the act of choosing/voting/dialing)

🤓 Additional Info

Word Formation (Wortbildung):

Das Wählen is a classic example of a nominalized infinitive (substantivierter Infinitiv or Infinitivsubstantiv). In German, almost any verb infinitive can be turned into a neuter noun this way to name the action or process itself.

• lesen (to read) -> das Lesen (the act of reading)
• schreiben (to write) -> das Schreiben (the act of writing)
• wählen (to choose/vote/dial) -> das Wählen (the act of choosing/voting/dialing)

These nouns are always neuter (sächlich) and generally do not have a plural form.