die  Entlohnung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛntˈloːnʊŋ/

💰 What does "Entlohnung" mean?

Die Entlohnung (feminine, plural: die Entlohnungen) refers to the compensation, usually in the form of money, that a person receives for work performed, services rendered, or efforts made. It's a rather formal term often used in economic or legal contexts.

It encompasses various forms of payment such as Gehalt (salary), Lohn (wage), Honorar (fee), or other forms of Vergütung (remuneration).

• Core meaning: Payment for work or service.
• Context: Work, business, contracts.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Entlohnung

The word "Entlohnung" is a feminine noun. Like many nouns ending in -ung, it uses the article "die".

Declension

Example Sentences

1. Die Entlohnung für diese Tätigkeit ist überdurchschnittlich hoch.
   (The remuneration for this activity is above average.)
2. Wir müssen die Modalitäten der Entlohnung noch im Vertrag festlegen.
   (We still need to define the terms of remuneration in the contract.)
3. Gerechte Entlohnung ist ein wichtiger Faktor für die Mitarbeitermotivation.
   (Fair remuneration is an important factor for employee motivation.)
4. Die verschiedenen Entlohnungen wurden pünktlich ausgezahlt.
   (The various payments/remunerations were paid out on time.)

🗣️ How "Entlohnung" is used

The term "Entlohnung" is mainly used in formal language, especially in the fields of:

• Labor law and contracts: When defining Gehalt (salary), Lohn (wages), or Honorare (fees).
• Business and human resources: In the context of compensation systems and cost calculations.
• Academic discussions: When talking about fair pay or economic theories.

In everyday conversation, you're more likely to hear Gehalt (for salaried employees, fixed monthly), Lohn (often for workers, hourly-based), or simply Bezahlung (payment).

Distinction from similar words:

• Gehalt: Regular, usually monthly, payment to salaried employees.
• Lohn: Often hourly or performance-based payment, traditionally for manual laborers.
• Honorar: Payment for freelance or artistic activities.
• Vergütung: General term for any kind of compensation, can include non-monetary benefits.

"Entlohnung" is a broader term that can encompass all these more specific forms, but it often carries a more formal tone.

🧠 Mnemonics for Entlohnung

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung in German are almost always feminine. Think of: die Rechnung (the bill), die Wohnung (the apartment), die Zeitung (the newspaper)... and therefore also die Entlohnung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone happily shouting: "Endlich Lohnung!" (Finally, payment!). The "Ent-" in Entlohnung sounds a bit like "End" (end/finally) and "-lohnung" is close to Lohn (wage/payment). So: You finally get your payment -> die Entlohnung.

↔️ Opposites and Synonyms

⚠️ Caution: Although similar, Gehalt and Lohn have more specific meanings than the umbrella term Entlohnung.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef seinen neuen Mitarbeiter: "Was erwarten Sie denn als Einstiegs-Entlohnung?"
(The boss asks his new employee: "What starting remuneration are you expecting?")

Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "So um die 100.000 Euro im Jahr, je nach den Zusatzleistungen."
(The employee replies: "Around 100,000 euros a year, depending on the fringe benefits.")

Sagt der Chef: "Und was halten Sie von 5 Wochen Urlaub, Firmenwagen und 13. Gehalt?"
(The boss says: "And what do you think about 5 weeks of vacation, a company car, and a 13th month salary?")

Der Mitarbeiter begeistert: "Wow, super! Machen Sie Witze?"
(The employee, thrilled: "Wow, great! Are you kidding?")

Chef: "Ja. Aber Sie haben angefangen!"
(Boss: "Yes. But you started it!")

📜 Poem about Work

Die Arbeit ruft, der Tag beginnt,
(Work calls, the day begins,)
man schafft und tut, geschwind, geschwind.
(one works and does, quickly, quickly.)
Doch was am End' die Mühe krönt,
(But what crowns the effort in the end,)
ist, wenn man dafür wird entlöhnt.
(is when one gets remunerated for it.)

Die Entlohnung, fair und klar,
(The remuneration, fair and clear,)
macht Müh' und Plag' erst tragbar,
(makes toil and trouble bearable,)
Ein Dankeschön in Münz' und Schein,
(A thank you in coin and bill,)
so soll gerechte Arbeit sein.
(that's how fair work should be.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin der Grund, warum man schafft,
(I am the reason why people work,)
ich geb' der Mühe neue Kraft.
(I give new strength to the effort.)
Mal bin ich Lohn, mal Salär genannt,
(Sometimes I'm called wage, sometimes salary,)
im Vertrag steh' ich, wohlbekannt.
(I'm in the contract, well-known.)
Ich komme meist am Monatsend',
(I usually arrive at the month's end,)
wer Arbeit leistet, der mich kennt.
(Whoever performs work knows me.)

Who or what am I?

Solution: die Entlohnung (or die Bezahlung/das Gehalt/der Lohn - payment/salary/wage)

🧩 Further Insights

Word Composition

The word "Entlohnung" is composed of:

• ent- : A prefix that here expresses a sense of 'receiving' or 'getting' (similar to 'entgegennehmen' - to receive).
• Lohn : The core word, meaning wage or payment.
• -ung : A suffix that turns the word into a noun (nominalization) and often denotes a process or result.

So, it describes the process or result of receiving payment (Lohn).

Cultural Aspect

The concept of 'gerechte Entlohnung' (fair remuneration) is an important topic in social and political discussions in Germany, often linked to debates about minimum wage (Mindestlohn), collective bargaining agreements (Tarifverträge), and income equality.