German Charity & Donations Vocabulary
This set covers the language of giving and organized charity in German, from die Spende itself to who runs it and who receives it. You'll meet der Spender (the donor), die Hilfsorganisation (the aid organization that channels the money), and the people it's meant to help, Obdachlose and Bedürftige. One trap for English speakers: German splits "charity" into at least three separate words, die Wohltätigkeit, die Nächstenliebe, and die Stiftung, and picking the wrong one changes the meaning noticeably.
Learn these 12 words
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All 12 words
homeless person
Im Winter helfen wir Obdachlosen besonders. — In winter we especially help homeless people.
plural: die Sammlungen
collection
Die Sammlung brachte tausend Euro ein. — The collection raised a thousand euros.
plural: die Spender
donor
Der Spender bleibt anonym. — The donor remains anonymous.
needy person
Das Essen wird an Bedürftige verteilt. — The food is distributed to the needy.
voluntary, honorary
Er hilft ehrenamtlich bei der Tafel. — He volunteers at the food bank.
plural: die Hilfsorganisationen
aid organization
Die Hilfsorganisation unterstützt Flüchtlinge weltweit. — The aid organization supports refugees worldwide.
charitable
Sie organisiert einen wohltätigen Basar. — She organizes a charity bazaar.
charity
Die Familie ist bekannt für ihre Wohltätigkeit. — The family is known for its charity.
charitable / nonprofit
Diese gemeinnützige Organisation hilft bedürftigen Kindern. — This charitable organization helps children in need.
charity
Nächstenliebe ist eine wichtige Tugend. — Charity is an important virtue.
plural: die Stiftungen
a foundation / endowment
Die Stiftung unterstützt Projekte zur Armutsbekämpfung. — The foundation supports projects to combat poverty.
plural: die Schenkungen
a donation / gift (wenig benutzt)
Die Schenkung des Grundstücks erfolgte ohne Bedingungen. — The donation of the land took place without conditions.
How to learn this set
Notice that Obdachlose and Bedürftige aren't real nouns with fixed genders, they're adjectives turned into nouns, so their ending shifts with context: der Obdachlose (the homeless man), die Obdachlose (the homeless woman), ein Obdachloser (a homeless man). Drill these by writing out all three forms rather than memorizing a single article. Separately, group wohltätig and gemeinnützig together since both describe organizations rather than people or acts, and both commonly pair with the same nouns: eine wohltätige/gemeinnützige Organisation. Keep die Stiftung and die Sammlung apart in your head by function, not just meaning, since one is a standing institution and the other is a one-off event.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Wohltätigkeit and Nächstenliebe?
Wohltätigkeit is charity as an institution or activity, like organized fundraising or a charity gala. Nächstenliebe is charity in the older, moral sense of love for your fellow human being, closer to compassion than to donating money.
What is the difference between Spender and Bedürftige?
Der Spender is the person giving money or goods, the donor. Bedürftige (a needy person) is on the receiving end. Neither word has its own gender-neutral article because Bedürftige is an adjective used as a noun, so it changes with der, die, or ein depending on who is meant.
Is Stiftung the same as Spende?
No. Eine Spende is a single donation, like money you give once to a Sammlung (collection) at church. Eine Stiftung is a foundation, a permanent organization set up to give money away over time, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Stiftung.
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