Stimmzettel
/ˈʃtɪmˌt͡sɛtl̩/masculine
The English phrase "ballot" is translated into German as Stimmzettel.
The term refers specifically to the piece of paper used to cast a vote in an election.
Meaning: paper used for vote-casting (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Stimme, meaning vote or voice and Zettel, meaning slip or note.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word Stimmzettel is a masculine noun. The plural form remains Stimmzettel.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃtɪmˌtsɛtl̩/
Did you know?
- Unlike some countries that use electronic machines, Germany relies heavily on the physical Stimmzettel because the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the voting process must be transparent to the average citizen without specialized technical knowledge.
- German elections often use a 'two-vote' system on one Stimmzettel, where the first vote is for a person and the second is for a party.
- The word Stimme is used to describe the 'tuning' of a musical instrument, meaning a Stimmzettel is conceptually linked to harmony and alignment.
Examples in context
- Man muss die Stimmzettel in einen Umschlag stecken.The ballot paper must be put into an envelope.This sentence shows how to use Stimmzettel when discussing putting them into an envelope.Tatoeba #8314424 by GuidoW, translation #11531230 by sundown
- Bitte stellen Sie sicher, dass Sie Ihren Wahlschein korrekt ausfüllen.Please make sure to fill out your ballot correctly.
- Nach der Stimmabgabe bitte den Wahlzettel in die dafür vorgesehene Box werfen.After casting your vote, please place the ballot into the designated box.
- Hast du deinen Stimmzettel schon abgegeben?Have you already submitted your ballot?
- Vergiss nicht, deinen Wahlbrief rechtzeitig abzusenden, damit deine Stimme gezählt wird.Don't forget to send your voting letter in time, so that your vote gets counted.
- Der Stimmzettel liegt auf dem Tisch.The ballot is lying on the table.
- Hast du den Stimmzettel schon ausgefüllt?Have you filled out the ballot already?
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are at a polling station.
- HannahHier ist dein Stimmzettel, Felix.Here is your ballot, Felix.
- FelixDanke, Hannah. Wo kann ich ihn ausfüllen?Thanks, Hannah. Where can I fill it out?
- HannahIn der Kabine dort drüben.In the booth over there.
- FelixAlles klar, danke.All right, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ballot” translations and entries Stimmzettel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
