die  Anleihe

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈanlaɪə/

💰 What exactly is an Anleihe?

The German word die Anleihe (feminine, plural: die Anleihen) primarily refers to a bond or debenture in finance. It's a type of debt security where an issuer (like a government or corporation) borrows money from investors and promises to repay the principal at a specific maturity date, along with periodic interest payments (Zinsen).

You can think of it as a loan given by many creditors (the bondholders) to one debtor (the issuer).

In a more general sense, Anleihe can also mean a loan or borrowing, especially figuratively (e.g., a stylistic borrowing - eine stilistische Anleihe - in art).

⚠️ Attention: Even though it derives from the verb leihen (to lend/borrow), the noun is always feminine: die Anleihe.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar in Detail: Declension of 'Anleihe'

The noun Anleihe is feminine. It follows the weak declension pattern, meaning it typically adds an -n ending in the plural and in the genitive, dative, and accusative cases of the singular (though for feminine nouns, the singular forms often look the same as the nominative except for the article change).

💡 Examples

1. Deutschland hat eine neue Staatsanleihe ausgegeben.
   (Germany issued a new government bond.)
2. Die Zinsen der Anleihe sind attraktiv.
   (The interest rates of the bond are attractive.)
3. Er investierte sein Geld in verschiedene Unternehmensanleihen.
   (He invested his money in various corporate bonds.)
4. Mit diesen Anleihen finanziert der Staat seine Ausgaben.
   (The state finances its expenditures with these bonds.)

💼 How is 'die Anleihe' used?

The term die Anleihe is almost exclusively used in the context of economics and finance (Wirtschaft und Finanzen). It describes a specific financial instrument.

• Typical Contexts: Stock market reports (Börsenberichte), financial news (Finanznachrichten), investment strategies (Investitionsstrategien), corporate finance (Unternehmensfinanzierung), government budgets (Staatshaushalte).
• Distinction from 'Kredit': While a Kredit is often a loan from a bank to an individual or a company, an Anleihe is a security that can be traded on the capital market and is bought by many investors.
• Distinction from 'Aktie': An Aktie (share/stock) represents a share in a company's equity (Eigenkapital), making you a part-owner. An Anleihe represents a share in its debt (Fremdkapital), making you a creditor (Gläubiger).
• Figurative Meaning: Less commonly, Anleihe can refer to borrowing or inspiration in artistic or intellectual fields (e.g., „stilistische Anleihen bei Goethe“ - stylistic borrowings from Goethe).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Mnemonic for the article (die):

Think of a bond certificate as something precious that needs security. Security (die Sicherheit) is feminine in German, just like die Anleihe.

Mnemonic for the meaning (bond/loan):

Anleihe sounds like 'an LION'. Imagine you need to borrow (leihen) money from (an) a big, powerful entity like a lion (e.g., the government or a large corporation) – that's your bond, your Anleihe.

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms for 'Anleihe'

⚠️ Similar but different terms:

• Kredit: (Loan/Credit) General term for borrowed money, not necessarily securitized as a bond.
• Hypothek: (Mortgage) A loan secured by real estate.

😄 A Little Joke

Broker asks his trainee: „Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Aktie und einer Anleihe?“
Trainee: „Naja, wenn die Firma pleitegeht, bekommt man bei der Anleihe sein Geld vielleicht irgendwann zurück. Bei der Aktie hat man immerhin noch wertloses Papier zum Anzünden des Kamins!“

Translation:
Broker asks his trainee: "What's the difference between a stock (Aktie) and a bond (Anleihe)?"
Trainee: "Well, if the company goes bankrupt, with the bond you might get your money back eventually. With the stock, at least you still have worthless paper to light the fireplace!"

📜 A Poem about the Anleihe

Der Staat braucht Geld, 's ist altbekannt,
Drum gibt er aus, mit fester Hand,
Ein Papier, das Zinsen bringt,
Als Anleihe es im Markte klingt.

Du leihst dein Geld, auf Zeit, auf Frist,
Auf dass der Staat nicht ärmer ist.
Am Ende kommt's zurück zu dir,
Das ist die Anleihe, glaube mir.

Translation:
The state needs money, it's well known,
So it issues, firmly shown,
A paper that brings interest near,
As a bond (Anleihe) in the market, clear.

You lend your money, for time, on term,
So that the state doesn't squirm.
In the end, it comes back to you,
That is the bond, believe me, it's true.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Papier, doch kein Brief,
Ich bringe Zinsen, oft nicht schief.
Man leiht sich Geld durch mich von vielen,
Um große Projekte zu bespielen.

Ob Staat, ob Firma, sie geben mich aus,
Investoren bringen ihr Geld ins Haus.
Ich bin feminin, merk dir das fein,
Was kann ich nur sein?

Hint: I'm a security, often issued by governments or companies, representing debt. I pay interest. My article is 'die'.

Solution: die Anleihe (the bond)

🧐 Other Interesting Information

Word Composition:

The word Anleihe is composed of the prefix an- and the noun Leihe (which comes from the verb leihen - to lend/borrow). It signifies that something (money) is lent to someone, or that someone takes on a loan.

Trivia:

Government bonds (Staatsanleihen) are often considered relatively safe investments because governments are generally seen as highly creditworthy. The interest rates on government bonds (especially those from major industrialized nations like Germany or the USA) are therefore often an important indicator of the general interest rate level and the economic situation.