Learn gewalten in German. Build fluency with personalized exercises, chats, and video recommendations.
When used as a noun, Gewalten (plural) can mean multiple things:
die Gewalten (general) powers, forces, authorities (like the separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches)die Kräfte (general) powers, forces (like a hurricane's forces)As a verb, gewalten is not really used today except for a few established collocations:
der Übeltäter gewalttätig sein (to be violent; or to be a perpetrator of violence)der Übeltäter gewaltig einbrechen (to break in violently)The term Gewalt (singular) is much more common and versatile. Some examples:
die Gewalt (singular) (general) power, authority, or forcedie Gewalt (singular) (physical) violencedie Gewalt (singular) (legally, or more abstractly) coercion or undue influence. For example, "he agreed under duress/coercion" (er stimmte unter Gewalt ein)Related Topics: Forces, Powers, Forms of Address, Separation of Powers