die  Kabinettssitzung

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/kabiˈnɛtssɪʦʊŋ/

🏛️ What does 'die Kabinettssitzung' mean?

Die Kabinettssitzung is a meeting of the members of a government cabinet (i.e., the ministers together with the head of government, e.g., the Chancellor in Germany). In these meetings, political decisions are made, legislative proposals are discussed, and current political situations are debated.

It's a central instrument of government work in parliamentary democracies. The article is always die because the base word 'Sitzung' (meeting, session) is feminine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar under the Microscope: die Kabinettssitzung

The word 'Kabinettssitzung' is a feminine noun. The definite article is always 'die'. Here is its declension:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Kabinettssitzung wurde kurzfristig anberaumt.
   (The cabinet meeting was scheduled on short notice.)
2. Der Beschluss wurde während der letzten Kabinettssitzung gefasst.
   (The decision was made during the last cabinet meeting.)
3. Alle Minister nahmen an der Kabinettssitzung teil.
   (All ministers participated in the cabinet meeting.)
4. Die Ergebnisse der Kabinettssitzungen werden oft in Pressekonferenzen bekannt gegeben.
   (The results of the cabinet meetings are often announced in press conferences.)

💼 When to use 'Kabinettssitzung'?

The term Kabinettssitzung is primarily used in a political context. It refers to the formal meetings of the government cabinet.

• Typical Contexts: Political reporting, news, political discussions, government documents.
• Importance: These meetings often result in significant decisions about the direction of a country's policy.
• Distinction: A 'Parlamentssitzung' is a meeting of the members of parliament, whereas a 'Kabinettssitzung' is a meeting of the government (executive branch). A 'Ministerratssitzung' (meeting of the council of ministers) is often synonymous but can have slightly different connotations depending on the country.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'Kabinettssitzung'

Article 'die': Think of the base word: 'die Sitzung' (the meeting/session). Many German nouns ending in '-ung' are feminine ('die'), so 'die Kabinettssitzung' follows this pattern. Imagine the (female) chancellor, 'die' Kanzlerin, leading 'die' meeting.

Meaning: Picture a small, fancy 'Kabinett' (like a cabinet or a small room) where important people are 'sitting' ('sitzen') and deliberating – a crucial 'Sitzung' (session) in the 'Kabinett' of power.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

😄 A Little Joke

Warum dauern Kabinettssitzungen manchmal so lange?

Weil jeder Minister erst einmal seinen eigenen Stuhlkreis bilden will!

Why do cabinet meetings sometimes last so long?

Because every minister first wants to form their own seating circle!

📜 A Poem about the Meeting

Im Kanzleramt, das Licht brennt spät,
die Ministerrunde, die nun berät.
Die Kabinettssitzung, ernst und lang,
man ringt um Worte, um den richtigen Klang.

Gesetze formen, das Land regieren,
Entscheidungen treffen, nichts verlieren.
Der Kaffee kalt, die Köpfe heiß,
so geht es zu auf diese Weis'.

In the Chancellery, the light burns late,
the circle of ministers, now in debate.
The cabinet meeting, serious and long,
they wrestle for words, for the right song.

Shaping laws, governing the land,
Making decisions, nothing left unplanned.
The coffee cold, heads burning bright,
that's how it goes, day and through night.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin ein Treffen, wichtig und diskret,
wo die Regierung ihre Pläne schmiedet.
Minister kommen hier zusammen,
um über Wohl und Weh des Landes zu entflammen.
Der Chef der Runde leitet das Geschehen,
oft hinter Türen, selten nur zu sehen.

Was bin ich?

I am a meeting, important and discreet,
Where the government forges its plans, oh so neat.
Ministers gather in this place,
To discuss the country's fate and pace.
The leader of the group directs the flow,
Often behind doors, rarely put on show.

What am I?

Solution: die Kabinettssitzung (the cabinet meeting)

✨ Other Information

Word Composition:

The word 'Kabinettssitzung' is a compound noun, composed of:

• Das Kabinett: Originally a small private room, later the body of ministers in a government.
• The linking element '-s-': Connects the two parts of the word.
• Die Sitzung: A meeting, a session.

Together, the meaning is therefore: a session of the cabinet.

Trivia:

In Germany, the federal government's Kabinettssitzung usually takes place weekly, typically on Wednesday mornings, in the Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt).