Translation

1. to be valid; to count; to hold true class-3, intransitive, strong
2. to be effective; to be in force class-3, intransitive, strong

   Doch das Gesetz der Demokratie gilt nur zwischen den Bürgern und ihrem Staat. In der Außenpolitik gilt traditionell das Primat der Regierung.

   But the law of democracy is only in force between the citizens and their state. In foreign policy the primacy of the government is traditionally in force.

3. to be worth class-3, strong, transitive

   Kurt Honolka (tr.), "Das Pfand der Liebe", in Antonín Dvořák, Sechs Klänge aus Mahren. Was gilt uns das Wort meiner Mutter? / Meine Mutter, die beherrscht uns nicht!

   What does my mother's word matter to us? / My mother doesn't own us.

4. to be about, to concern class-3, formal, intransitive, strong

   Sein erster Gedanke galt der Zeit, und er sprang rasch vom Lager, um nach der Sonne zu sehen.

   His first thought was of the time, and he sprang quickly out of bed to see the sun.

5. to be regarded, to pass class-3, intransitive, strong
6. to be necessary class-3, impersonal, strong

   Es gilt deshalb, die richtigen Lehren aus der Krise zu ziehen, aus den Fehlern der Vergangenheit zu lernen, um die Zukunft zu sichern.

   Therefore it is necessary to draw the right lessons from the crisis, to learn from the mistakes of the past for securing the future.

7. to pass; to go; (Often translated with lassen as a unit into allow, endure, permit, accept, etc.) class-3, intransitive, strong

   Das will ich ausnahmsweise mal gelten lassen.

   I will let that pass [allow, concede, endure, permit, accept that] as an exception.

Conjugation

Indicative

Subjunctive i

Subjunctive ii

Imperative