Frame description

In this frame, a Speaker asks an Addressee for something, or asks them to carry out some action.

Examples:

1. Er  forderte den Rücktritt des Ministers.1. He demanded the resignation  of the Minister.
2. Er hat sie um Rat gebeten.2. He asked her  for advice.
3. Der Gastgeber hat den Gästen eine Einladung zur Party geschickt.3. The host sent the guests an invitation to the party.
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In this frame, a Speaker asks an Addressee for something, or asks them to carry out some action.

Examples:

1. Er  forderte den Rücktritt des Ministers.1. He demanded the resignation  of the Minister.
2. Er hat sie um Rat gebeten.2. He asked her  for advice.
3. Der Gastgeber hat den Gästen eine Einladung zur Party geschickt.3. The host sent the guests an invitation to the party.

 

The Speaker is typically the subject of the communication verb, while the Addressee is often realized as the direct object (as in, "Ich frage dich!"  "I ask you!") or with a preposition (as in, "er verlangt von mir,  dass ich ihm helfe,"     "he asks of me,  that I help him"). The Message can be expressed in a variety of ways, such as a direct quote, a clause, or a noun phrase (see examples in particular LU entries for LU-specific details of how to express the Message). Least frequent of all the FEs in this frame is the Medium used to convey the Message, which could be something like: "in einem Brief" ("in a letter"), "am Telefon" ("on the phone"), "per Email" ("by email"), or "im Internet" ("on the internet"). Although this FE can theoretically be included in any Request evoking sentence, it is rarely encountered, and never mandatory.

German-English differences for Communication frames
Have you been talking to the internet again? A German might think you have if you overextend this kind of English sentence to German: "The internet says that happens to lots of people." In contrast to English, where the Medium can replace the Speaker through metonymy (e.g. "the letter said…," "Google said…"), German speakers use phrases such as "dem Internet nach" ("according to the internet") or "im Buch steht, dass…" ("in the book it says that…") when they choose to include the Medium and not the Speaker. In particular, the verb "stehen" ("to stand") is used to convey that some Message is contained in a print/visual Medium, for example, "In jeder Zeitung steht dein Name und dein Foto auf der Titelseite" ("In every newspaper stands your name and your photo on the front page").

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Examples
Grammar Notes
Sentence Templates
Alternate Forms

Frame Elements

Frame Element descriptions (on hover):

Speaker

The person who asks the Addressee to do something.

Addressee

The person whom the Speaker asks to do something.

Message

The content of the request made.

Medium

The physical entity or channel used to transmit the Message.

Details
Examples
Grammar Notes
Sentence Templates
Alternate Forms
See All Information
Aufforderung, die noun demand, request

Details:

demand, request, challenge

This noun is used when a Speaker demands something (the Message) from an Addressee. Usually, the Spearker is in some position of authority over the Addressee and therefore has more power. This noun is often used in reference to politics or in reference to demands made by the police.

As in English, the Message can be encoded in an infinitive clause (see examples 4, 5 and 7). German, however, also frequently encodes the Message as a noun following the preposition "zu" ("to," better translated as "for" in this case). Because infinitive verbs in German can be nominalized quite easily (simply capitalize them; the gender is always "das"), they often appear in such configurations, for example "die Aufforderung zum Halten" ("the demand to stop"), "die Aufforderungen zum Sparen" ("the requests for saving [money]"), or "eine Aufforderung zum Spielen" ("a challenge to play").

Aufforderung zum Leisesein / request to be quiet

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"das Aufforderungsschreiben" ("call letter"), "der Aufforderungscharakter" ("stimulative nature;" e.g. "das Maskottchen hat Aufforderungscharacter" / "the mascot has a stimulative nature"), "die Zahlungsaufforderung" ("request for payment"), among others

Synonyms:

"der Aufruf (zu)," "der Appell (an)," "der Bittruf," "die Mahnung"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Aufforderung“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Aufforderung>, abgerufen am 12.01.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Niemand folgte seiner Aufforderung.
  2. Nach Aufforderung der Polizei kamen die Diebe aus dem Laden heraus.
  3. Er hat auf die Aufforderung zum Halten nicht reagiert.
  4. Wer als Asylbewerber abgelehnt wird, bekommt eine Aufforderung, das Land bis zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt zu verlassen.
  5. Und allein auf die freundliche Aufforderung den Adblocker auszuschalten - auch wenn sie dennoch alle Inhalte lesen konnten - reagierten 40 Prozent.
  6. Der Chef der portugiesischen Regierungspartei will den Aufforderungen zum Sparen nicht folgen.
  7. Santos sieht den Friedensnobelpreis als Aufforderung, weiter für den Frieden in seinem Land zu arbeiten.
  8. Sie erhalten eine Aufforderung, den Betrag bis Juli zu zahlen.
  1. Nobody followed his demand.
  2. After the demand of the police, the thieves came out of the store.
  3. He did not respond to the request to stop.
  4. Whoever as asylum seeker is rejected, receives a demand to leave the country within a certain period of time.
  5. And alone to the friendly request to turn off the ad-blocker - also if they still all content could read - responded 40 percent.
  6. The head of the Portugese government party does not want to follow the requests to save.
  7. Santos sees the Nobel Peace Prize as a challenge to work further for peace in his country.
  8. You get a request to pay the amount due until July.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. ADDRESSEE folgt der Aufforderung.
  2. ADDRESSEE folgt der Aufforderung SPEAKER.genitiv.
  3. [nach Aufforderung SPEAKER.genitiv]
  4. ADDRESEE bekommt eine Aufforderung, MESSAGE.Infinitivsatz.
  5. [eine Aufforderung zu MESSAGE]
  1. ADDRESSEE follows the demand.
  2. ADDRESSEE follows the demand of SPEAKER.
  3. [after the demand of SPEAKER]
  4. ADDRESSEE receives a demand MESSAGE.infinitive_clause.
  5. [a challenge to MESSAGE]
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Details:

demand, request, challenge

This noun is used when a Speaker demands something (the Message) from an Addressee. Usually, the Spearker is in some position of authority over the Addressee and therefore has more power. This noun is often used in reference to politics or in reference to demands made by the police.

As in English, the Message can be encoded in an infinitive clause (see examples 4, 5 and 7). German, however, also frequently encodes the Message as a noun following the preposition "zu" ("to," better translated as "for" in this case). Because infinitive verbs in German can be nominalized quite easily (simply capitalize them; the gender is always "das"), they often appear in such configurations, for example "die Aufforderung zum Halten" ("the demand to stop"), "die Aufforderungen zum Sparen" ("the requests for saving [money]"), or "eine Aufforderung zum Spielen" ("a challenge to play").

Aufforderung zum Leisesein / request to be quiet

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"das Aufforderungsschreiben" ("call letter"), "der Aufforderungscharakter" ("stimulative nature;" e.g. "das Maskottchen hat Aufforderungscharacter" / "the mascot has a stimulative nature"), "die Zahlungsaufforderung" ("request for payment"), among others

Synonyms:

"der Aufruf (zu)," "der Appell (an)," "der Bittruf," "die Mahnung"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Aufforderung“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Aufforderung>, abgerufen am 12.01.2022.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

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Alternate Forms:

(pl.) die Aufforderungen
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Befehl, der noun order, command

Details:

order, command

"Der Befehl" is a non-negotiable order given by an authority that is obligatory to obey and to act upon. This noun is used similarly to its English counterparts in situations where a Speaker gives orders to an Addressee. "Der Befehl" can be used to describe a specific command / order or a more general situation where the Speaker has the authority to give commands to the Addressee (who will then follow them). Usually, the Speaker has power over the Addressee and expects the Addressee to comply. This noun is often used in the context of the military (note that it does not include the goods-sense, as in "to place an order for food").

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"die Befehlsform" ("imperative"), "der Befehlsempfänger" ("subordinate"), "der Befehlshaber" ("commander"), "der Befehlston" ("commanding tone"), "die Befehlsverweigerung" ("refusal to obey oders"), "der Befehlsverweigerer" ("person refusing to obey orders"), "der Abfahrtsbefehl" ("departure order"), "der Durchsuchungsbefehl" ("warrant"), among others

Synonyms:

"die Anordnung," "das Kommando," "die Weisung," "die Anweisung," "der Auftrag," "die Direktive," among others

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Befehl“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Befehl>, abgerufen am 12.01.2022.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Der General erteilte dem Soldaten einen Befehl.
  2. Der Befehl des CEO ist Gotteswort.
  3. Die übrige Zeit wird benötigt, um die Befehle zu übermitteln und auszuführen.
  4. Menschen, die tot sind, können keine Befehle erteilen.
  5. Am Abend dieses 7. Augusts trat Präsident Barack Obama vor eine Kamera und erklärte, er habe den Befehl gegeben, die Terrormiliz Islamischer Staat (IS) im Irak aus der Luft anzugreifen.
  6. Auf Befehl des Ministers  waren alle Stromleitungen gekappt worden.
  7. Er musste auf Befehl eines Offiziers  in den Wald rennen.
  8. Zwei Drittel der Teilnehmer folgten dem Befehl.
  9. Wir haben ein Problem mit der Justiz, die unter dem Befehl der politischen Führung steht.
  10. Er sollte niemals den Befehl über unser Militär haben.
  1. The general gave the soldier an order.
  2. The order of the CEO is the word of God.
  3. The remaining time is needed to transmit and carry out the orders.
  4. People who are dead can give no orders.
  5. On the evening of the 7th of August, President Barack Obama stepped in front of a camera and explained, he gave the order to attack the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) in Iraq from the air.
  6. At the order of the minister,  all the power cables had been cut off.
  7. He had to by order of an officer  run into the forest.
  8. Two thirds of the participants followed the order.
  9. We have a problem with the judiciary who is under the command of the political leadership.
  10. He should never have command over our military.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. SPEAKER gibt / erteilt ADDRESSEE einen Befehl.
  2. SPEAKER gibt / erteilt den Befehl, MESSAGE.Infinitivsatz.
  3. [auf Befehl SPEAKER.genitiv]
  4. ADDRESSEE erhält den Befehl, MESSAGE.Infinitivsatz.
  5. ADDRESSEE folgt dem Befehl.
  6. ADDRESSEE steht unter dem Befehl von SPEAKER.
  7. SPEAKER hat den Befehl über ADDRESSEE.
  1. SPEAKER gives / gives ADDRESSEE an order.
  2. SPEAKER gives / gives the order, MESSAGE.infinitive_clause.
  3. [at the order of SPEAKER]
  4. ADDRESSEE receives an order, MESSAGE.infinitive_clause.
  5. ADDRESSEE follows the order.
  6. ADDRESSEE is under the command of SPEAKER.
  7. SPEAKER has command over ADDRESSEE.
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Details:

order, command

"Der Befehl" is a non-negotiable order given by an authority that is obligatory to obey and to act upon. This noun is used similarly to its English counterparts in situations where a Speaker gives orders to an Addressee. "Der Befehl" can be used to describe a specific command / order or a more general situation where the Speaker has the authority to give commands to the Addressee (who will then follow them). Usually, the Speaker has power over the Addressee and expects the Addressee to comply. This noun is often used in the context of the military (note that it does not include the goods-sense, as in "to place an order for food").

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"die Befehlsform" ("imperative"), "der Befehlsempfänger" ("subordinate"), "der Befehlshaber" ("commander"), "der Befehlston" ("commanding tone"), "die Befehlsverweigerung" ("refusal to obey oders"), "der Befehlsverweigerer" ("person refusing to obey orders"), "der Abfahrtsbefehl" ("departure order"), "der Durchsuchungsbefehl" ("warrant"), among others

Synonyms:

"die Anordnung," "das Kommando," "die Weisung," "die Anweisung," "der Auftrag," "die Direktive," among others

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Befehl“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Befehl>, abgerufen am 12.01.2022.

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Alternate Forms:

(pl.) die Befehle
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befehlen verb to order, to command

Details:

to order, to command

This verb is used when a Speaker orders an Addressee to do a Message, often in the context of the military. Usually, the Speaker has power over the Addressee. Alternatively, this verb can be used more like English "to command" with only the Speaker and Addressee expressed, as in "er befiehlt die Armee" ("he commands the army"), with the Addressee as the direct object (accusative case).

When a Message is present, however, the Addressee is expressed as the indirect object (dative case; see examples). The Message may be against the will of the Addressee. The Message can be expressed in a number of ways, including as an infinitive clause or simply as a noun. If the Message is expressed in a dependent clause with "dass" ("that"), the Addressee may be included as part of that clause, as in (6). You will see in the examples that this verb's grammatical patterns are broader than in English, and include patterns associated with both "to command" and "to order."  Note that "befehlen" is an irregular verb (see alternate forms).