die  Behörde

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/bəˈhøːʁdə/

🏛️ What exactly is a Behörde?

Die Behörde (feminine, plural: die Behörden) refers to a state or municipal institution that performs public tasks and issues administrative acts. It's part of the public administration (öffentliche Verwaltung) and acts on behalf of the state or another public body.

Basically, a Behörde is an official office or agency you need to contact to handle certain state or official matters, e.g., applying for a passport, registering a car, or obtaining a building permit.

⚠️ Sometimes the term is used colloquially as a synonym for 'Amt' (office) or 'Dienststelle' (department/agency office), although 'Behörde' often implies a higher-level or larger entity.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Behörde

The word 'Behörde' is a feminine noun. The article is die.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

• Die Behörde hat meinen Antrag genehmigt. (Nominative Singular: The authority approved my application.)
• Die Zuständigkeit der Behörde ist klar definiert. (Genitive Singular: The authority's jurisdiction is clearly defined.)
• Ich muss morgen zu der Behörde gehen. (Dative Singular: I have to go to the authority tomorrow.)
• Wir haben die Behörde über den Vorfall informiert. (Accusative Singular: We informed the authority about the incident.)
• Die Behörden arbeiten bei diesem Fall zusammen. (Nominative Plural: The authorities are collaborating on this case.)
• Die Entscheidungen der Behörden sind oft komplex. (Genitive Plural: The decisions of the authorities are often complex.)
• Man muss sich an die Behörden wenden. (Accusative Plural: One must contact the authorities.)

🌐 How is 'Behörde' used?

The term 'Behörde' is primarily used in the context of public administration (öffentliche Verwaltung) and the legal system (Rechtswesen).

• Typical Use Cases: People talk about Behörden when referring to government institutions that execute laws, grant permits, conduct inspections, or handle citizens' concerns. Examples include the Finanzamt (tax office), Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office), Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' office), Bauamt (building authority), etc.
• Context: The word often carries a formal, sometimes slightly bureaucratic connotation. You go 'zur Behörde' (to the authority) or deal 'mit den Behörden' (with the authorities).
• Distinction from similar terms:
  • Amt: Often used synonymously, but 'Amt' can also refer to a smaller, more specific administrative unit or a person's function/position (e.g., 'das Amt des Bürgermeisters' - the office/post of the mayor). 'Behörde' is usually the broader term for the institution itself.
  • Verwaltung: Refers more to the process or sector of administration itself, whereas 'Behörde' means the specific institution.
  • Dienststelle: Similar to Amt, often a subordinate or specific unit within a larger Behörde.

Examples of common phrases:

• die zuständige Behörde (the competent authority)
• eine behördliche Anordnung (an official order)
• sich an die Behörden wenden (to contact the authorities)
• die kommunalen Behörden (the municipal authorities)

🧠 How to Remember 'die Behörde'

Article Mnemonic (die)

Many German nouns ending in -de are feminine (feminin), like die Kunde (customer/news), die Freude (joy). Imagine: She (die) works at the authority (Behörde) and has a lot of authority. The 'e' ending often hints at 'die'.

Meaning Mnemonic

Think of having to "be heard" (gehört werden) by an official body. You go to the Behörde to 'be heard'. Or associate the sound 'Behörde' with 'border' - you often need authorities for border control or official crossings (like crossing into official procedures).

🔄 Similar and Contrasting Terms

⚠️ Similar Words (Watch Out!)

• Gehörde: Not a German word; risk of confusion due to similar sound.
• Behorde (without umlaut): Not a German word.

😄 A Little Joke about Authorities

German: Fragt der Chef den Beamten: "Sagen Sie mal, schlafen Sie eigentlich während der Arbeitszeit?" Antwortet der Beamte: "Nein, Chef. Aber wenn Sie leiser sprechen würden, könnte ich es!"

English Translation: The boss asks the civil servant: "Tell me, do you actually sleep during working hours?" The civil servant replies: "No, boss. But if you spoke more quietly, I could!"

📜 Poem about the Behörde

German:
Das Amt ruft, der Bürger geht,
Wo mancher Stempel auf ihn weht.
Die Behörde, oft ein Labyrinth,
Wo man den rechten Schalter find't.

Formulare, lang und breit,
Für manche Akte fehlt die Zeit.
Doch ist sie da, für Recht und Pflicht,
Verleiht dem Chaos ein Gesicht.

English Translation:
The office calls, the citizen goes,
Where many a stamp upon him blows.
The authority, often a labyrinth,
Where one finds the right counter forthwith.

Forms, so long and wide,
For some files, time does slide.
But it exists, for law and duty's sake,
Giving chaos a face, a shape.

🧩 Little Riddle

German:
Ich habe viele Schalter, aber kein Licht.
Ich stelle Papiere aus, doch schreiben kann ich nicht.
Ich arbeite für den Staat, mal schnell, mal langsam sehr.
Man braucht mich für den Pass, den Antrag und noch mehr.

Wer oder was bin ich?

English Translation:
I have many counters, but no light.
I issue papers, but I cannot write.
I work for the state, sometimes fast, sometimes slow indeed.
You need me for the passport, the application, and more need.

Who or what am I?

(Answer: die Behörde - the authority/agency)

ℹ️ Further Information

Word Origin (Etymology)

The word 'Behörde' possibly derives from the verb '(zu etwas) gehören' (to belong to something) or is related to '(an)hören' (to listen to, to hear) in the sense of an instance where one finds a hearing or which conducts hearings. It became established in administrative language in the 17th/18th century.

Typical Compound Words

• Bundesbehörde: Federal authority (national level).
• Landesbehörde: State authority (federal state level).
• Kommunalbehörde: Municipal authority (city or municipality level).
• Sicherheitsbehörde: Security authority (e.g., police, domestic intelligence).
• Finanzbehörde: Financial authority (e.g., tax office).
• Ausländerbehörde: Foreigners' registration office (deals with residency matters).
• Genehmigungsbehörde: Licensing/Permitting authority (e.g., building authority).