die  Kommission

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/kɔmɪˈsi̯oːn/

📜 What exactly is a Kommission?

The German word die Kommission (feminine) has several meanings:

• 👥 A group of people with a mandate (Kommission, Ausschuss): This is the most common meaning. It refers to a body, committee, or group of experts commissioned to perform a specific task, investigate something, or make decisions. Examples include investigative committees (Untersuchungskommissionen), ethics committees (Ethikkommissionen), or the European Commission (Europäische Kommission).
• 💰 A brokerage fee or commission (Provision): Especially in a business context, 'die Kommission' refers to a percentage-based payment received by someone (e.g., a broker or salesperson) for arranging a deal. There's a common phrase "etwas auf Kommission verkaufen" (to sell something on commission).
• 📄 The act of commissioning (rare): Less commonly, 'Kommission' can refer to the mandate itself or the act of commissioning, similar to 'Beauftragung'.

🚨 Pay attention to the context to understand the correct meaning!

🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: Die Kommission

The noun die Kommission is feminine. Words ending in -ion are almost always feminine in German.

💡 Examples for Clarification

1. Die Untersuchungskommission legte ihren Bericht vor.
   (The investigative commission presented its report.) - Meaning: Group
2. Der Vertreter erhält eine Kommission von 5% auf jeden Verkauf.
   (The representative receives a commission of 5% on every sale.) - Meaning: Fee
3. Die Waren wurden in Kommission genommen.
   (The goods were taken on consignment / on commission.) - Meaning: Arrangement
4. Mehrere Kommissionen wurden zur Klärung des Sachverhalts eingesetzt.
   (Several commissions were established to clarify the matter.) - Plural

🗣️ How to use 'Kommission'?

The usage of die Kommission heavily depends on its specific meaning:

• In political/administrative contexts: Here, it usually means a group (e.g., die Europäische Kommission - the European Commission, eine parlamentarische Kommission - a parliamentary commission). Common verbs are eine Kommission einsetzen (to establish a commission), bilden (to form), or angehören (to belong to).
• In business contexts: This often refers to the fee (Provision) (e.g., eine hohe Kommission verdienen - to earn a high commission, etwas auf Kommission verkaufen - to sell something on commission). The phrase "in Kommission geben/nehmen" means to entrust/take goods for sale, where the seller only receives a commission upon successful sale, and ownership remains with the supplier until then (consignment).
• Distinction: Don't confuse it with der Kommissar (a commissioner, a person, often police or member of a commission) or die Mission (a mission, task, but not necessarily the group itself).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in "-ion" in German are like fancy divas – always feminine (**die**)! Think of: die Nation, die Station, die Region, die Kommission.

Meaning Mnemonic: A **Kommission** has a *common mission* (task for a group) OR you get a *commission* (fee) for a successful *transaction*. The -ion ending links them!

🔁 Similar and Different: Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar Words

• Der Kommissar / Die Kommissarin: A person who might be a member of a Kommission or holds a specific role (e.g., police commissioner). Not the commission itself!
• Die Mission: The task or mandate itself, not the group carrying it out (although a Kommission has a Mission).

😂 A Little Joke

Der Chef fragt seine neue Sekretärin: "Können Sie einen Brief an die Kommission zur Vereinfachung der Verwaltungsprozesse aufsetzen?" Sie antwortet: "Klar, Chef! Soll ich kurze Sätze nehmen oder reicht es, wenn nur jeder zweite Buchstabe drin ist?"

Translation: The boss asks his new secretary: "Can you draft a letter to the commission for the simplification of administrative processes?" She replies: "Sure, boss! Should I use short sentences, or is it enough if only every second letter is included?"

📜 A Little Poem about Kommission

Ein Gremium klug, mit Sachverstand,
Die Kommission, wohlbekannt.
Sie prüft, berät, fasst den Beschluss,
Bringt Ordnung in den Überfluss.

Doch auch das Geld, als Lohn gezahlt,
Wenn Ware auf Kommission gemalt
Oder verkauft, das ist der Sinn,
Steckt auch im Wort "Kommission" drin.

Translation:
A panel wise, with expertise at hand,
Die Kommission, known throughout the land.
It checks, advises, makes the final call,
Brings order to the excess of it all.

But also money, paid as compensation,
When goods are sold on a commission station,
Or simply sold, that is the gist,
Is also in the word "Kommission" kissed.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Team mit einem Ziel,
Oder Gebühr, das ist nicht viel
Prozentual vom Wert der Ware,
Mal kurz, mal über viele Jahre.
Ich ende stets auf "-ion",
Mein Artikel? Kennst du ihn schon?

Translation:
I am a team with a goal in sight,
Or just a fee, that isn't quite
A lot, percentage of the goods' worth true,
Sometimes short-term, sometimes years through.
I always end with "-ion",
My article? Have you known this one?

(Solution: die Kommission)

➕ Other Information

• Word Origin: The word comes from the Latin commissio, meaning "uniting", "entrusting", or "mandate" (from committere = to entrust, bring together).
• Compound Words (Zusammensetzungen): There are many compound words that specify the type of commission, e.g.: Untersuchungskommission (investigative commission), Ethikkommission (ethics committee), EU-Kommission (Europäische Kommission) (EU Commission), Expertenkommission (expert commission), Gebührenkommission (fees commission), Schlichtungskommission (arbitration committee).