die
Aktiengesellschaft
🏦 What does Aktiengesellschaft mean?
Die Aktiengesellschaft (often abbreviated as AG) is a German legal form for a company. It translates to a stock corporation or public limited company (PLC). It's a type of Kapitalgesellschaft (capital company) whose share capital is divided into Aktien (shares).
The shareholders (owners of the Aktien) are generally only liable with their investment, not their private assets. The word is always feminine: die Aktiengesellschaft.
Key characteristics of an AG:
- Kapitalgesellschaft: The focus is on capital, not the individuals.
- Grundkapital: Divided into shares (minimum €50,000 in Germany).
- Haftung (Liability): Limited to the company's assets.
- Organe (Bodies): Vorstand (management board), Aufsichtsrat (supervisory board), Hauptversammlung (general meeting of shareholders).
🚨 There is only one article for this word: die.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ft/ -schaft → almost always feminine.
All -schaft nouns are feminine, but not all -ft nouns are.
🧐 Grammar & Declension of Aktiengesellschaft
The noun "Aktiengesellschaft" is feminine. The article is always die.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Aktiengesellschaft |
| Genitive | der | Aktiengesellschaft |
| Dative | der | Aktiengesellschaft |
| Accusative | die | Aktiengesellschaft |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Aktiengesellschaften |
| Genitive | der | Aktiengesellschaften |
| Dative | den | Aktiengesellschaften |
| Accusative | die | Aktiengesellschaften |
Example Sentences
- Die Aktiengesellschaft gab neue Aktien aus.
(The stock corporation issued new shares.) - Der Gewinn der Aktiengesellschaft stieg im letzten Quartal.
(The profit of the stock corporation increased last quarter.) - Wir liefern Waren an die Aktiengesellschaft.
(We deliver goods to the stock corporation.) - Viele große deutsche Unternehmen sind Aktiengesellschaften.
(Many large German companies are stock corporations.) - Die Bilanzen der Aktiengesellschaften werden genau geprüft.
(The balance sheets of the stock corporations are carefully checked.)
💡 How to use Aktiengesellschaft?
The term Aktiengesellschaft or the abbreviation AG is mainly used in economic and legal contexts.
- Company Names: Many company names include the suffix "AG", e.g., Volkswagen AG, Siemens AG. This indicates the legal form.
- Business News: Reports about stock markets, company profits, or mergers often mention Aktiengesellschaften.
- Legal Documents: The full term is used in contracts, statutes (Satzungen), or commercial register excerpts (Handelsregisterauszüge).
Comparison to GmbH: An Aktiengesellschaft is often larger and more capital-market-oriented than a GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung - limited liability company). Founding and managing an AG is more complex and involves stricter requirements.
Choosing the AG legal form often signals a certain size, stability, and the intention to raise capital via the stock market. It's roughly comparable to a PLC in the UK or, in some aspects, a publicly-traded Corporation (Corp./Inc.) in the US, though legal details differ significantly.
🧠 Mnemonics & Memory Aids
How to remember the article and meaning of "Aktiengesellschaft"?
Mnemonic for the article (die):
German nouns ending in "-schaft" are almost always feminine. Think of die Freundschaft (friendship), die Mannschaft (team), die Gesellschaft (society)... and therefore also die Aktiengesellschaft. The "-schaft" ending is your clue for "die"!
Mnemonic for the meaning:
Break it down: Aktien means "shares" and Gesellschaft means "society" or "company". So, an Aktiengesellschaft is literally a "shares company" – a company based on shares. Picture a society (Gesellschaft) holding stock certificates (Aktien). 🧾🤝🏢
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- AG (Abbreviation, very common)
- Kapitalgesellschaft (Capital company - broader term, also includes GmbH)
- Börsennotierte Gesellschaft (Listed company - many, but not all, AGs are listed on the stock exchange)
- Publikumsgesellschaft (Public company - often implies shares are widely held)
Antonyms (opposites or other legal forms):
- Personengesellschaft (Partnership, e.g., OHG, KG; partners often have personal liability)
- GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung - Limited Liability Company; another type of capital company with different rules)
- Einzelunternehmen (Sole proprietorship - run by one person with full personal liability)
- Genossenschaft (eG) (Cooperative; focus is on member benefit)
⚠️ Similar, but distinct terms:
- KGaA (Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien): A partnership limited by shares, a hybrid form.
- SE (Societas Europaea): A European public limited company, a legal form under EU law.
😂 A little joke
Fragt der CEO seinen Assistenten: "Sind unsere Aktionäre eigentlich glücklich?"
Antwortet der Assistent: "Schwer zu sagen, Chef. Die einen halten uns für genial, die anderen verkaufen gerade ihre Aktien..."
Translation:
The CEO asks his assistant: "Are our shareholders actually happy?"
The assistant replies: "Hard to say, boss. Some think we're geniuses, others are currently selling their shares..."
📜 Poem about the Aktiengesellschaft
Die AG, welch große Macht,
hat Kapital zusammengebracht.
In Aktien ist es aufgeteilt,
wer eine kauft, ist mitbeteiligt.
Der Vorstand lenkt, der Rat bewacht,
die Hauptversammlung gibt Acht.
Mal steigt der Kurs, mal fällt er tief,
das Börsenleben, interaktiv.
Translation:
The AG, what great power,
has brought capital together.
It's divided into shares,
whoever buys one, participates.
The board directs, the council supervises,
the general meeting pays attention.
Sometimes the price rises, sometimes it falls deep,
stock market life, interactive.
❓ Riddle
Ich bin eine Firma, groß und bekannt,
mein Kapital ist in Aktien im ganzen Land.
Mein Name endet oft mit zwei Buchstaben nur,
"AG" steht für meine Rechtsnatur.
Wer bin ich? ... Die Aktiengesellschaft
Translation:
I am a company, large and well-known,
my capital is in shares throughout the land.
My name often ends with just two letters,
"AG" stands for my legal nature.
Who am I?
... The Aktiengesellschaft (Stock Corporation)
🧩 Word Components & Trivia
Word Composition:
The word "Aktiengesellschaft" is composed of:
- Aktie: Share certificate in a company. The word comes via Dutch and French from the Latin "actio" (action, legal action, claim).
- Gesellschaft: An association of persons pursuing a common purpose; society or company.
So, literally: A company based on shares.
Trivia:
- The legal form of the AG is regulated in the German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz - AktG).
- It is particularly suitable for large companies that require significant capital.
- Founding an AG is more complex and expensive than other legal forms like the GmbH.
Summary: is it der, die or das Aktiengesellschaft?
The noun "Aktiengesellschaft" is always feminine. The correct article is die Aktiengesellschaft.