German Debt, Credit & Loans Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary of owing and lending money in German, from everyday words like der Kredit and die Rate to the heavier legal terms you hit once things go wrong, like die Insolvenz and der Konkurs. One trap for English speakers: der Kredit does not mean "credit" in the sense of praise or a good reputation, it's specifically a loan. That sense of "credit" as in trustworthiness is die Bonität, a completely different word.
Learn these 21 words
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All 21 words
plural: die Kredite
credit/loan
Ich brauche einen Kredit von der Bank. — I need a loan from the bank.
plural: die Raten
instalment
Ich zahle das Auto in Raten. — I pay for the car in instalments.
- abzahlenB1
to pay off
Er will seine Schulden abzahlen. — He wants to pay off his debts.
debts
Jetzt habe ich alle meine Schulden bezahlt. — Now I have paid off all my debts.
plural: die Insolvenzen
insolvency/bankruptcy
Das Unternehmen meldete Insolvenz an. — The company filed for insolvency.
to file for bankrupcy
Das Geschäft musste Konkurs anmelden. — The business had to file for bankruptcy.
credit card debts
Meine Kreditkartenschulden sind sehr hoch. — My credit card debts are very high.
debt free
Sie möchte schuldenfrei leben. — She wants to live debt free.
plural: die Schuldner
debtor
Der Schuldner muss seine Schulden bald zurückzahlen. — The debtor must repay his debts soon.
plural: die Schuldscheine
promissory note
Mit einem Schuldschein besiegelte er seine Verpflichtung. — With a promissory note, he sealed his obligation.
indebtedness
Die steigende Verschuldung ist ein großes Problem. — Rising indebtedness is a major problem.
plural: die Zinssätze
an interest rate / lending rate
Der Zinssatz für Kredite ist in diesem Monat gestiegen. — The interest rate for loans rose this month.
- abgeltenC1
to compensate / wipe out
Eine Zahlung konnte die ausstehende Schuld abgelten. — One payment could compensate for the outstanding debt.
plural: die Aufrechanungen
setoff/counterclaim
Eine Aufrechnung beider Schulden war möglich. — A setoff of both debts was possible.
plural: die Basiszinsen
base rate/prime rate
Der Basiszins bestimmt die Höhe aller anderen Zinsen. — The base rate determines the level of all other interest rates.
creditworthiness
Die Bank prüft die Bonität des Kreditantragstellers. — The bank checks the creditworthiness of the loan applicant.
plural: die Bonitätsauskünfte
a credit report
Eine Bonitätsauskunft zeigt die finanzielle Zuverlässigkeit. — A credit report shows financial reliability.
plural: die Inkassobüros
debt collection agency
Das Inkassobüro treibt die ausstehenden Schulden ein. — The debt collection agency collects outstanding debts.
plural: die Konkurse
bankruptcy / insolvency
Das Unternehmen musste Konkurs anmelden. — The company had to file for bankruptcy.
plural: die Schuldverhältnisse
legal obligation / debt relationship
Das Schuldverhältnis zwischen Kreditgeber und Kreditnehmer ist klar. — The debt relationship between lender and borrower is clear.
- tilgenC1
to pay off / redeem / erase
Er will seinen Kredit schnell tilgen. — He wants to pay off his loan quickly.
How to learn this set
Notice how many words here share the root Schuld (guilt/debt): die Schulden, der Schuldner, der Schuldschein, das Schuldverhältnis, schuldenfrei. Learn that root once and you get five words almost for free, just track which ending or compound piece changes the meaning. Separately, drill tilgen and abzahlen side by side since both mean "to pay off" but tilgen is the more formal/legal term you'll see in contracts, while abzahlen is what you'd actually say about paying off your own credit card. For der Konkurs vs die Insolvenz, treat them as near-synonyms in casual use but remember only Konkurs works in the fixed phrase Konkurs anmelden.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Kredit and Schulden in German?
Der Kredit is the loan itself, the money you borrow or the agreement you sign. Die Schulden are the debts, meaning the amount you still owe. You nehmen einen Kredit auf (take out a loan) and that creates Schulden until you pay them off.
What's the difference between Insolvenz and Konkurs?
They're close to synonyms for bankruptcy in everyday speech, but Konkurs is the older, more common term in fixed phrases like Konkurs anmelden (to file for bankruptcy), while Insolvenz is the more formal, current legal term used in official contexts like Insolvenzverfahren.
Is Bonität the same as credit score?
Roughly yes. Die Bonität means creditworthiness, your general standing as someone worth lending to, and die Bonitätsauskunft is the actual report a bank pulls to check it, similar to a credit report in English.
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