die  Neuverschuldung

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈnɔʏfɛɐ̯ˌʃʊldʊŋ/

💰 What does 'die Neuverschuldung' mean?

Die Neuverschuldung refers to the amount by which the debt of a public budget (e.g., of a country, federal state, or municipality) increases within a specific period (usually a fiscal year). In other words: it's the difference between the total expenditures and total revenues (excluding borrowing) of a budget when expenditures exceed revenues.

If revenues exceed expenditures, it's called a Haushaltsüberschuss (budget surplus).

⚠️ Die Neuverschuldung is not the same as the total Schuldenstand (debt level). The Schuldenstand is the sum of all debts accumulated over the years, whereas die Neuverschuldung only describes the increase in a specific year.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Neuverschuldung

The word "Neuverschuldung" is a feminine noun. The article is die.

It is mostly used in the singular as it describes a concept. The plural ("die Neuverschuldungen") is grammatically possible but rare, typically referring to the new debt amounts of several different budgets or across multiple years.

Declension (Singular)

Declension (Plural - rare)

Example Sentences

1. Die Regierung plant, die Neuverschuldung im nächsten Jahr zu reduzieren.
   (The government plans to reduce the new debt next year.)
2. Die hohe Neuverschuldung bereitet den Ökonomen Sorgen.
   (The high level of new debt worries economists.)
3. Im Koalitionsvertrag wurde eine Obergrenze für die Neuverschuldung vereinbart.
   (A cap on new debt was agreed upon in the coalition agreement.)

📊 When to use 'Neuverschuldung'?

The term "Neuverschuldung" is used almost exclusively in the context of public finance and economic policy.

• Haushaltsdebatten (Budget debates): In discussions about the national budget, state budgets, or municipal budgets, die Neuverschuldung is a key indicator.
• Wirtschaftsnachrichten (Economic news): Media regularly report on the planned or actual Neuverschuldung of the federal government or the states.
• Politische Diskussionen (Political discussions): Political parties often argue about the acceptable level of Neuverschuldung and measures to limit it (e.g., the "Schuldenbremse" (debt brake)).

In a private context, people are more likely to say "neue Schulden machen" (to take on new debt) or "einen Kredit aufnehmen" (to take out a loan).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of "die Schuld" (the debt/guilt). Words ending in "-ung" in German are almost always feminine. Therefore: die Neuverschuldung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine the government's budget is a bucket (Haushalt) with a hole. The Neu- (new) amount of -verschuldung (debt) is like the water you constantly have to add anew just to keep the bucket from emptying, causing the overall water level (Schuldenstand - debt level) to rise. That's the Neuverschuldung.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Schuldenstand (debt level) is not a synonym; it describes the total amount of debt.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Finanzminister seine Berater: "Wie können wir die Neuverschuldung senken?"
Antwortet ein Berater: "Ganz einfach: Wir nennen sie ab jetzt 'Investition in die Zukunft'!"

(The Finance Minister asks his advisors: "How can we lower the new debt?"
An advisor replies: "Simple: From now on, we'll call it 'investment in the future'!")

📜 Poem about Neuverschuldung

Der Staatshaushalt, ein großes Buch,
mit Zahlen, Einnahmen, manch Fluch.
Sind Ausgaben mehr als Geld im Sack,
steigt sie empor im nächsten Akt:
Die Neuverschuldung, Jahr für Jahr,
macht Zukunft manchmal schwer, fürwahr.

(The state budget, a hefty book,
With numbers, income, many a crook(ed path).
If spending's more than cash in sack,
It rises high in the next act:
The new debt, growing year by year,
Makes future prospects sometimes drear, it's clear.)

❓ Riddle

Ich wachse, wenn der Staat mehr ausgibt als einnimmt.
Ich bin nicht der ganze Berg, nur der Zuwachs, der bestimmt.
Politiker streiten oft um meine Höh'.
Was bin ich, das jährlich sorgt für Weh und Ach?

(I grow when the state spends more than it takes in.
I'm not the whole mountain, just the increment that begins.
Politicians often argue about my height.
What am I, causing annual woe and blight?)

... Die Neuverschuldung (The new debt)

🧩 Word Details & Trivia

Word Composition

The word "Neuverschuldung" is a compound noun, composed of:

• Neu-: Prefix meaning "new" or "additional".
• Verschuldung: Nominalization of the verb "verschulden" (to get into debt), meaning the state of being in debt or the process of incurring debt.

So, it literally means the new or additional debt incurred within a specific period.

Relevance

Die Neuverschuldung is a central concept in discussions about intergenerational equity and the long-term financial stability of a country. The "Schuldenbremse" (debt brake) enshrined in the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) aims to severely limit the structural Neuverschuldung of the federal government and the states.