die  Verschuldung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/fɛɐ̯ˈʃʊldʊŋ/

💰 What does "die Verschuldung" mean?

Die Verschuldung (feminine) describes the state or process of having debts or getting into debt. It's a noun referring to the total amount of liabilities of a person, company, or state.

• Meaning 1: The state of being indebted; the total amount of debt (indebtedness, debt load).
• Meaning 2: The process of incurring debt (act of getting into debt).

It is almost exclusively used with the article "die".

⚠️ Attention: Do not confuse it with "das Verschulden", which means "fault" or "blame" in the sense of responsibility.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Verschuldung" in Detail

"Die Verschuldung" is a feminine noun. It's mostly used in the singular because it often describes a state or a total sum. The plural "die Verschuldungen" is rare but can be used to refer to different types or instances of debt (e.g., die Verschuldungen verschiedener Länder - the debts of different countries).

Declension Singular

Declension Plural (rare)

Example Sentences

1. Die hohe Verschuldung des Unternehmens führte zur Insolvenz.
   (The company's high level of debt led to insolvency.)
2. Die private Verschuldung nimmt in Deutschland zu.
   (Private indebtedness is increasing in Germany.)
3. Eine übermäßige Verschuldung kann zu ernsthaften finanziellen Problemen führen.
   (Excessive debt can lead to serious financial problems.)
4. Die Staatsverschuldung ist ein wichtiges politisches Thema.
   (National debt is an important political issue.)

💡 How to use "Verschuldung"?

"Verschuldung" is mainly used in contexts related to finance, economics, and sometimes personal circumstances.

• Contexts: Economic news (Staatsverschuldung - national debt, Unternehmensverschuldung - corporate debt), banking, debt counseling, personal finance.
• Typical Phrases:
  • hohe / niedrige Verschuldung (high / low debt level)
  • private / öffentliche Verschuldung (private / public debt)
  • in die Verschuldung geraten (to get into debt)
  • die Verschuldung abbauen / reduzieren (to reduce debt)
• Difference from "Schuld" / "Schulden":
  • Die Schuld (singular): Can mean both financial debt and moral guilt/fault. Example: Er hat seine Schuld bezahlt. (He paid his debt.) / Es war nicht meine Schuld. (It wasn't my fault.)
  • Die Schulden (plural): Always refers to specific financial liabilities (debts). Example: Er hat viele Schulden. (He has many debts.)
  • Die Verschuldung (singular, abstract noun): Refers to the state of having debt or the total amount of debt as a concept. Example: Die Verschuldung ist ein großes Problem. (Indebtedness is a big problem.)

🧠 Mnemonics for Verschuldung

Article Mnemonic: Many German financial terms ending in "-ung" are feminine (die), like die Rechnung (the bill), die Mahnung (the reminder), die Finanzierung (the financing). So is die Verschuldung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of "Ver-Schuld-ung" as someone has ver-slipped (made a mistake) and now carries the Schuld (debt/blame) in the form of financial burdens. The "-ung" ending marks it as a state or process.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar Words (Potential Confusion!)

• Das Verschulden: Means fault, blame, negligence. Example: Das Unglück geschah ohne sein Verschulden. (The accident happened through no fault of his own.)

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Gläubiger den Schuldner: "Wann gedenken Sie eigentlich Ihre Schulden zu bezahlen?" Antwortet der Schuldner: "Woher soll ich das wissen? Ich bin doch kein Hellseher!"

(Creditor asks the debtor: "When do you actually intend to pay your debts?"
Debtor replies: "How should I know? I'm not a psychic!")

📜 Poem about Verschuldung

Die Rechnung kommt, die Summe steigt,
Ein leises Seufzen sich nur zeigt.
Die Verschuldung, schwer und grau,
Macht das Leben manchmal rau.
Doch Schritt für Schritt, mit Plan und Mut,
Wird's hoffentlich bald wieder gut.

(The bill arrives, the sum does grow,
A quiet sigh is all to show.
The debt load, heavy, dull, and grey,
Makes life feel rough along the way.
But step by step, with plan and grit,
Things hopefully will soon be fit.)

❓ Riddle

Ich wachse oft im Stillen,
Erfülle nicht gern deinen Willen.
Ob Staat, ob Firma oder Haus,
Ich seh' oft nicht erfreulich aus.
Man zählt mich in Bilanzen,
Und wünscht, ich würde nie mehr tanzen.

Was bin ich? (Auflösung: Die Verschuldung)

(I often grow in silence,
I don't gladly grant compliance.
Be it state, or firm, or home,
I often look quite troublesome.
I'm counted on balance sheets,
And wished I'd never tap my feets.

What am I?
Answer: Die Verschuldung / Indebtedness)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition

The word "Verschuldung" is a noun derived from the verb "verschulden" (to incur debt, to be at fault for) and formed with the suffix "-ung". It consists of:

• Prefix "ver-": Can have various meanings, here suggesting 'getting into a state' or intensification.
• Stem "Schuld": Core meaning of debt or guilt.
• Suffix "-ung": Forms nouns from verbs, often denoting a process or state.

Trivia

Germany's "Schuldenuhr" (debt clock) displays the current national debt and its change per second. It's a well-known symbol of public debt (öffentliche Verschuldung).