die
Überlassung
📖 What does "die Überlassung" mean?
Die Überlassung refers to the act of entrusting or handing something over to another person or institution for their use, possession, or administration, often temporarily. It implies a conscious act of giving or entrusting.
Common contexts include:
- Legal: The Überlassung of rental properties, software licenses, data, or rights.
- Economic: The Überlassung of capital, equipment, or personnel (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung - temporary staffing).
- General: Entrusting objects or information.
It's a noun derived from the verb überlassen (to leave something to someone, to let someone have something).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Überlassung
Die Überlassung is a feminine noun. It is mainly used in the singular, but the plural (die Überlassungen) is possible when referring to multiple individual acts of transfer or assignment.
Singular Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Überlassung |
| Genitive | der | Überlassung |
| Dative | der | Überlassung |
| Accusative | die | Überlassung |
Plural Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Überlassungen |
| Genitive | der | Überlassungen |
| Dative | den | Überlassungen |
| Accusative | die | Überlassungen |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die Überlassung der Wohnungsschlüssel erfolgt nach Vertragsunterzeichnung.
(The handing over of the apartment keys takes place after the contract is signed.) - Die vertragliche Regelung zur Überlassung von Nutzungsrechten ist komplex.
(The contractual regulation for the granting of usage rights is complex.) - Wir danken Ihnen für die Überlassung der historischen Dokumente für unsere Ausstellung.
(We thank you for letting us have the historical documents for our exhibition.) - Die Arbeitnehmerüberlassung unterliegt strengen gesetzlichen Vorschriften.
(Temporary staffing is subject to strict legal regulations.)
💡 How is "Überlassung" used?
The term Überlassung is often used in formal contexts, especially legal and economic ones. It describes a specific form of handover or making something available.
- In rental law (Mietrecht): The Überlassung of a rental object for use.
- In labor law (Arbeitsrecht): Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (temporary staffing or employee leasing).
- In copyright/licensing law (Urheberrecht/Lizenzrecht): The Überlassung of software or other works for use.
- In property law (Sachenrecht): The Überlassung of land or movable property (e.g., Leihe - loan for use).
In general conversation, the word is less common and sounds more formal than terms like Geben (giving), Leihen (lending), or Anvertrauen (entrusting). You would more likely say "Ich leihe dir mein Buch" (I'll lend you my book) than "Ich vollziehe die Überlassung meines Buches an dich".
⚠️ Distinction: An Überlassung is not always a gift (Schenkung) or a sale (Verkauf). It is often temporary or bound by conditions (e.g., rental contract, loan agreement, license agreement).
🧠 Mnemonics for Überlassung
Article Mnemonic: Nouns ending in "-ung" in German are almost always feminine. Think of: die Landung (the landing), die Meinung (the opinion), die Hoffnung (the hope)... and therefore also die Überlassung.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you leave something over to someone (über-lassen). You make it available to them. The act of "überlassen" (leaving/letting have) is the "Überlassung".
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Abtretung: (assignment, often of rights, claims)
- Übergabe: (handover, physical transfer)
- Zurverfügungstellung: (provision, making available for use)
- Gewährung: (granting, often of rights, licenses)
- Leihe: (loan for use, free of charge)
- Vermietung: (letting, renting, for payment)
- Einräumung: (concession, granting, often of rights)
Antonyms (opposites):
- Einbehaltung: (retention, withholding)
- Rücknahme: (taking back, withdrawal)
- Verweigerung: (refusal, denial of handover/use)
- Entzug: (revocation, withdrawal, often of rights)
- Besitzergreifung: (appropriation, taking possession, opposite of entrusting)
Risk of Confusion?
Sometimes "Überlassung" might be confused with "Übereignung". An Übereignung is the transfer of ownership, whereas an Überlassung often only concerns possession or the right to use, but not ownership itself.
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt der Richter den Angeklagten: "Warum haben Sie dem Opfer das Portemonnaie nicht einfach überlassen?"
Antwortet der Angeklagte: "Hohes Gericht, das wäre ja eine unentgeltliche Überlassung gewesen, und ich bin doch kein Wohltätigkeitsverein!"
Translation:
The judge asks the defendant: "Why didn't you simply let the victim have the wallet?"
The defendant replies: "Your Honor, that would have been a gratuitous transfer (unentgeltliche Überlassung), and I'm not exactly a charity!"
📜 A Poem about Überlassung
Die Schlüssel, der Code, das alte Buch,
Zur Nutzung gegeben, Besuch für Besuch.
Ein Recht wird gewährt, ein Raum wird geteilt,
Die Überlassung, oft vertraglich gefeilt.
Mal kurz, mal für Jahre, mal fest, mal ganz frei,
Doch stets ein Vertrauen ist mit dabei.
Translation:
The keys, the code, the ancient book,
Given for usage, look by look.
A right is granted, a space is shared,
The Überlassung, often contractually prepared.
Sometimes short, sometimes for years, sometimes fixed, sometimes free,
But always trust is involved, you see.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin ein Akt des Gebens, doch nicht immer für immer.
Ich kann Rechte betreffen, Räume oder Schimmer.
Im Vertrag steh ich oft, mit Regeln klar und rein.
Was bin ich, wenn du etwas leihst oder stellst zur Verfügung fein?
Translation:
I am an act of giving, but not always forever.
I can concern rights, rooms, or glimmer.
I'm often in contracts, with rules clear and neat.
What am I, when you lend something or make it available, oh so sweet?
Solution: die Überlassung
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition
The word "Überlassung" is a noun formed by suffixation from the verb "überlassen":
- überlassen: Prefix "über-" + Verb "lassen" (to let, leave) -> to leave to, let have
- Überlassung: Stem "überlass-" + Suffix "-ung"
The suffix "-ung" is commonly used to form feminine nouns from verbs in German, usually denoting the process or result of the action expressed by the verb.
Contextual Notes
In the context of Datenüberlassung (data provision/transfer), the term is gaining increasing importance in the digital age, particularly in relation to data protection (GDPR/DSGVO) and terms of service for online platforms.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Überlassung?
The word 'Überlassung' is feminine, so the correct article is die Überlassung. It signifies the act of entrusting or making something available (like an object, a right, personnel), often within a legal or economic framework.