der  Nachlass

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈnaːxˌlas/

📜 What does "der Nachlass" mean?

The German word der Nachlass primarily has two meanings:

1. Estate / Inheritance: This refers to all the assets (money, property, belongings, etc.) and also the debts left behind by a deceased person. You often hear about den Nachlass regeln (settling the estate) or das Nachlassgericht (probate court). 🏛️
   Example: Der Nachlass des verstorbenen Onkels war beträchtlich. (The deceased uncle's estate was considerable.)

2. Discount / Rebate: This signifies a reduction from the original price of goods or services. A shopkeeper might einen Nachlass gewähren (grant a discount). 🏷️
   Example: Beim Kauf von drei Hemden erhalten Sie 10% Nachlass. (If you buy three shirts, you get a 10% discount.)

There is also the meaning of a künstlerischer oder wissenschaftlicher Nachlass (artistic or scholarly estate), which refers to the entirety of works, manuscripts, and documents left behind by an artist or scientist. ✍️

⚠️ Attention: Although both meanings relate to "leaving behind" or "letting down/reducing", the context is crucial for understanding!

🧐 Grammar & Declension of Nachlass

The word "Nachlass" is a masculine noun. It uses the article der.

Declension (Beugung)

Note: The dative singular can also be "Nachlasse", but this sounds rather dated or formal.

Example Sentences 📝

• (Inheritance) Der Anwalt kümmert sich um die Verwaltung des Nachlasses.
  (The lawyer takes care of the administration of the estate.)
• (Inheritance) Im Nachlass befanden sich wertvolle Gemälde.
  (The estate included valuable paintings.)
• (Discount) Der Händler gewährte mir einen großzügigen Nachlass.
  (The shopkeeper gave me a generous discount.)
• (Discount) Können Sie mir auf diesen Preis noch einen kleinen Nachlass geben?
  (Can you give me a small discount on this price?)
• (Artistic) Der literarische Nachlass des Autors wird im Archiv aufbewahrt.
  (The author's literary estate is kept in the archive.)

💡 When to use "der Nachlass"?

The use of der Nachlass depends heavily on the context:

• In legal and private contexts (Inheritance): Here, it refers to the assets of deceased persons. People talk about the Nachlassverfahren (probate proceedings), the Nachlassverwalter (estate administrator), or the Aufteilung des Nachlasses (distribution of the estate) among the heirs. Synonyms like Erbschaft or Hinterlassenschaft are also common, though Nachlass often emphasizes the total scope (including debts).

• In business contexts (Discount): This concerns price reductions when buying or selling. One might um einen Nachlass bitten (ask for a discount), einen Nachlass gewähren (grant a discount), or negotiate die Höhe des Nachlasses (the amount of the discount). Synonyms include Rabatt, Preisermäßigung, or (for prompt payment) Skonto. Nachlass often sounds slightly more formal than Rabatt.

• In cultural/scientific contexts: Here, Nachlass refers to the body of work (writings, compositions, etc.) left behind by a person of public interest, e.g., the Goethe-Nachlass.

It's important to deduce the intended meaning from the conversation or text. A sentence like "Ich habe einen großen Nachlass bekommen" (I received a large 'Nachlass') can mean very different things depending on the situation!

🧠 Mnemonics for "Nachlass"

For the article (der): Think of DER man who died and left something nach (after) himself = estate. Or think of DER shopkeeper who lets the price go down = discount.

For the meanings: Imagine someone's life force lässt nach (fades/declines -> death -> estate/inheritance). Imagine the price pressure lässt nach (eases -> discount). The verb nachlassen (to decrease, subside, leave behind) links both meanings.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Words

Similar, potentially confusing words:

• der Anlass: occasion, reason (sounds similar, but completely different meaning).
• die Last: burden, load (can be relevant in the context of debts within an estate, but not synonymous).

😂 A Little Joke

Richter: "Angeklagter, warum haben Sie die sehr reiche Witwe geheiratet und dann versucht, sie zu vergiften?"
Angeklagter: "Ich brauchte dringend einen Nachlass!"

Judge: "Defendant, why did you marry the very rich widow and then try to poison her?"
Defendant: "I desperately needed a discount!" (Plays on the double meaning - he wanted her estate/inheritance, but says 'discount').

✍️ Poem about Nachlass

Der Nachlass, schwer und alt,
liegt nun in Anwalts Hand, so kalt.
Briefe, Möbel, auch das Geld,
was bleibt von einer ganzen Welt?

Doch auch im Laden, hell und klar,
ruft ein Schild: "Heut wunderbar!
Ein Nachlass auf die Ware hier,
spart Euros, greif zu, glaube mir!"

Zwei Worte gleich, doch Sinn verschieden,
mal Erbe, mal Rabatt hienieden.

The estate, heavy and old,
Now lies in lawyer's hand, so cold.
Letters, furniture, money too,
What's left of a whole world, for who?

But in the shop, so bright and clear,
A sign proclaims: "Today, it's here!
A discount on the goods inside,
Save Euros, grab it, don't you hide!"

Two words the same, but meanings split,
Sometimes inheritance, sometimes a price cut bit.

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich bin, was bleibt, wenn jemand geht,
ein Bündel, das der Anwalt seht.
Ich bin auch, was den Preis reduziert,
damit der Kunde investiert.

Was bin ich?

Lösung: der Nachlass

I am what remains when someone departs,
A bundle the lawyer imparts.
I am also what makes the price fall,
So the customer buys standing tall.

What am I?

Solution: der Nachlass

➕ Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Nachlass" is composed of the preposition/prefix "nach" (after) and the noun "Lass" (letting, leaving), derived from the verb "lassen" (to let, to leave). So, the original meaning is something that is "left after" someone or something.

Trivia:

• Das Nachlassgericht is a specific division of the local court (Amtsgericht) in Germany responsible for probate and inheritance matters.
• The term Insolvenzmasse (insolvency assets/estate) is used in a similar way to Nachlass in the corporate context when a company is bankrupt.