die  Erstattung

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛʁˈʃtatʊŋ/

💸 What exactly is 'die Erstattung'?

Die Erstattung (noun, feminine) refers to the process or the amount of repayment of money that was previously spent or paid out. It's a compensation for incurred costs or expenses.

Imagine you paid for travel expenses for your company upfront. When the company pays this money back to you, that's eine Erstattung (a reimbursement/refund).

Typical contexts include:

• Kostenerstattung (e.g., travel expenses, training costs) - reimbursement of costs
• Steuererstattung (from the tax office) - tax refund
• Erstattung von Versicherungsleistungen - reimbursement of insurance benefits
• Rückerstattung when returning goods (although 'Rückgabe' - return or 'Gutschrift' - credit note are also common here) - refund

🚨 Attention: Don't confuse it with 'Entschädigung' (compensation), which is often paid for damages suffered, while 'Erstattung' usually relates to specific, advanced costs.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar Spotlight: Declining 'die Erstattung'

The word "Erstattung" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always "die". It is derived from the verb "erstatten" (to reimburse, to refund).

Example Sentences

• Ich warte immer noch auf die Erstattung meiner Reisekosten.
  (I am still waiting for the reimbursement of my travel expenses.)
• Die Erstattungen durch die Versicherung dauern oft mehrere Wochen.
  (The reimbursements from the insurance company often take several weeks.)
• Der Antrag auf Erstattung wurde genehmigt.
  (The application for reimbursement was approved.)
• Nach Prüfung der Erstattung wurde das Geld überwiesen.
  (After reviewing the reimbursement, the money was transferred.)

💡 Usage Context: When to use 'Erstattung'?

The term "die Erstattung" is primarily used in formal contexts, especially in finance, law, and administration.

• At work: If you incurred expenses for your company (e.g., bought office supplies, went on a business trip), you apply for a Kostenerstattung (reimbursement of costs).
• With taxes: If you overpaid your income tax, you receive a Steuererstattung (tax refund) from the Finanzamt (tax office).
• With insurance: After an insured event (e.g., a doctor's visit with private health insurance, car repair after an accident), you submit receipts to receive an Erstattung (reimbursement) of the costs.
• In retail: Sometimes, when returning goods, people speak of an Erstattung des Kaufpreises (refund of the purchase price), but terms like Rückgabe (return), Gutschrift (credit note), or Rückzahlung (repayment) are more common.

Comparison:

• Erstattung vs. Rückzahlung: 'Rückzahlung' (repayment) is more general and can also cover loans, etc. 'Erstattung' refers more specifically to the replacement of expenses.
• Erstattung vs. Entschädigung: 'Entschädigung' (compensation) is recompense for a suffered disadvantage or damage (e.g., Schmerzensgeld - pain and suffering compensation), while 'Erstattung' usually concerns concrete costs.
• Erstattung vs. Gutschrift: A 'Gutschrift' (credit note) can also be a credit for future purchases, whereas an 'Erstattung' is typically a direct return of money.

The word conveys a certain formality and correctness. You 'bekommen' (get) or 'erhalten' (receive) an Erstattung, or you 'beantragen' (apply for) it.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Erstattung'

For the article 'die': Think of other feminine German nouns ending in '-ung', like die Rechnung (the bill), die Buchung (the booking). Die Erstattung fits this pattern. Imagine 'die' accountant handling 'die' reimbursement.

For the meaning (reimbursement/refund): Think 'Erst' (first) you spend, then you get a 'Rettung' (rescue) in the form of the Erstattung. Or: Getting money back helps to restate your financial situation -> Erstattung.

↔️ Similar & Opposite: Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Words like 'Gutschrift' (credit note) can be similar but don't always mean a direct cash refund, sometimes implying store credit.

😂 A Little Joke about Reimbursement

Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Haben Sie schon Ihre Reisekostenabrechnung für die Konferenz eingereicht?"

Mitarbeiter: "Nein, noch nicht. Ich warte noch auf die Erstattung der Kosten für den Kurs 'Wie reiche ich eine Reisekostenabrechnung korrekt ein?'"

Translation:
The boss asks the new employee: "Have you submitted your travel expense report for the conference yet?"
Employee: "No, not yet. I'm still waiting for the reimbursement of the costs for the course 'How to correctly submit a travel expense report?'"

✒️ Poem about Getting Money Back

Die Rechnung hoch, das Portemonnaie leer,
Die Auslagen waren wirklich sehr.
Doch Formular, das ist der Trick,
Bringt hoffentlich das Geld zurück.

Belege sortiert, mit spitzer Feder,
Notiert ist Bahn, Hotel und jeder
Kilometer, der gefahren wurd',
Für die Erstattung, diesen Hort.

Nun heißt es warten, voller Bangen,
Ist der Antrag auch empfangen?
Doch endlich dann, welch Glück und Freud',
Das Konto meldet: Geld ist heut'!

Translation:
The bill was high, the wallet bare,
The expenses truly hard to bear.
But paperwork, that is the key,
To hopefully bring cash back to me.

Receipts all sorted, penned with care,
Noted are train, hotel, and where
Each mile was driven, near and far,
For the reimbursement, guiding star.

Now waiting starts, with anxious heart,
Did the application play its part?
But finally, what joy, what bliss,
The bank account reports: Money's hith'! (here today)

❓ Who am I? A Reimbursement Riddle

Ich komme oft nach einer Reise,
Manchmal laut, manchmal ganz leise.
Ich fülle auf, was vorher schwand,
Gebe zurück, was aus der Hand.
Ein Formular ist oft mein Kleid,
Ich mache Konten wieder breit.

Wer bin ich? (Lösung/Solution: Die Erstattung)

Translation:
I often come after a journey,
Sometimes loudly, sometimes subtly.
I replenish what previously dwindled,
Give back what left the hand.
A form is often my attire,
I make bank accounts grow higher.

Who am I?
(Solution: The reimbursement/refund)

🧩 Word Building & Trivia

Word Formation:

The word "Erstattung" is composed of:

• The verb erstatten: Originally meant 'to put back in the old place', 'to replace', 'to restore'. In legal and commercial contexts, the meaning 'to replace, to repay' developed.
• The suffix -ung: This suffix is used to form nouns from verbs, denoting the process or result of the action (like in Zahlung - payment, Buchung - booking, Rechnung - bill).

Interesting Fact: The verb 'erstatten' (e.g., Bericht erstatten) also has the meaning 'to report', 'to give an account'. However, Die Erstattung as a noun almost exclusively refers to financial repayment.