die  Tilgung

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈtɪlɡʊŋ/

💰 What exactly does "die Tilgung" mean?

The noun die Tilgung (feminine) refers to the act of paying back debts or a loan. It's the process by which a liability is settled gradually or completely.

• Main meaning: Repayment or amortization of debt (e.g., for a loan, a mortgage).
• In a broader sense, it can also mean the cancellation or annulment (e.g., of a criminal record entry after a certain period), but this is less common and usually context-specific (e.g., Tilgung einer Strafe - cancellation of a penalty).

🚨 There is only the feminine article die for Tilgung. Mistakes are unlikely here.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Tilgung

Die Tilgung is a feminine noun. The plural (die Tilgungen) is used less frequently and usually refers to multiple separate repayment processes or installments.

Example Sentences for Tilgung

1. Die monatliche Tilgung des Kredits beträgt 500 Euro.
   (The monthly repayment of the loan amounts to 500 Euros.)
2. Nach vollständiger Tilgung der Hypothek gehört das Haus endlich uns.
   (After complete repayment of the mortgage, the house finally belongs to us.)
3. Wir haben eine Sondertilgung vereinbart, um die Tilgung zu beschleunigen.
   (We agreed on a special repayment to accelerate the amortization.)
4. Die Bank berechnet die Zinsen und die Tilgung für das Darlehen.
   (The bank calculates the interest and the principal repayment for the loan.)

💡 How to use "Tilgung"?

Die Tilgung is primarily used in financial and legal contexts.

• Finance: Very common in connection with credits, loans, mortgages, and bonds. You talk about the Tilgungsrate (repayment rate), the Tilgungsplan (repayment schedule), a Sondertilgung (special repayment), or the Restschuld nach Tilgung (remaining debt after repayment).
• Law: Less common, e.g., Tilgung einer Eintragung im Bundeszentralregister (expungement of an entry in the Federal Central Criminal Register).

Distinction from similar words:

• Rückzahlung: Often used synonymously, but can also mean the return of borrowed items more generally (not just debt). Tilgung often emphasizes the scheduled process of debt reduction.
• Abtragung: Very similar meaning to Tilgung, often synonymous, emphasizing gradual reduction.
• Amortisation / Amortisierung: Technical term, often used synonymously with Tilgung, especially for the scheduled allocation of acquisition costs or loan repayment over the term.

🧠 Mnemonics for Tilgung

1. Article Mnemonic: Most German nouns ending in -ung are feminine (die). Think of die Rechnung (the bill), die Buchung (the booking) – financial terms ending in -ung are often die. So is die Tilgung.
2. Meaning Mnemonic: Think of "Till the debt is gung (=gone)". The word Tilgung represents making the debt disappear. Or: Tilgung sounds a bit like English "killing" – you are 'killing' the debt.

↔️ Opposites and Synonyms: die Tilgung

⚠️ Risk of Confusion: Not directly confusable, but important in context: Zinsen (interest) are the cost of borrowing money, while Tilgung is the repayment of the borrowed principal amount itself.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Bankberater den Kunden: "Haben Sie einen Plan für die Tilgung Ihres Kredits?"
Kunde: "Klar! Ich wandere aus und hoffe, Sie finden mich nicht!"

Translation:
The bank advisor asks the customer: "Do you have a plan for the repayment (Tilgung) of your loan?"
Customer: "Sure! I'm emigrating and hope you don't find me!"

📜 Poem about Tilgung

Der Schuldenberg, er lastet schwer,
doch Monat für Monat wird er leer.
Die Tilgung wirkt, mal klein, mal groß,
macht uns von alter Last bald los.
Ein steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein,
so wird die Schuld bald kleiner sein.

Translation:
The mountain of debt weighs heavily,
but month by month, it becomes empty.
The repayment (Tilgung) works, sometimes small, sometimes large,
soon freeing us from the old burden.
A constant drop hollows the stone,
thus the debt will soon be smaller.

❓ Riddle

Ich mache Schulden kleiner, Stück für Stück,
Bringe dem Gläubiger sein Geld zurück.
Im Finanzplan hab' ich meinen festen Platz,
Bin oft ein monatlicher, fester Satz.

Was bin ich? (Lösung: die Tilgung)

Translation:
I make debts smaller, piece by piece,
Bring the creditor their money back.
In the financial plan, I have my firm place,
Am often a monthly, fixed rate.

What am I?
(Solution: die Tilgung / the repayment)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

Die Tilgung is the nominalization (substantivization) of the verb tilgen. The verb tilgen means "to extinguish", "to eliminate", or indeed "to pay back debts". The suffix -ung turns the verb into a feminine noun.

Interesting: The term is often used in compound words, e.g., Tilgungsrate (repayment rate), Tilgungsplan (repayment schedule), Tilgungsaussetzung (suspension of repayment), Sondertilgung (special repayment), Annuitätentilgung (annuity repayment).