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Schulden

debts

noun SHUL-den Rare
People & Society Money

Origin: related to sollen and Schuld 'guilt, obligation'

Also means

liabilities

Usage Note

Schulden almost always appears in the plural and means money owed. You machen Schulden (run up debts) and tilgen or begleichen them (pay them off). The singular Schuld shifts meaning to guilt or fault, so context and number matter a great deal here.

Examples

"Nach dem Studium hatte er hohe Schulden."

Natural Translation

After his studies he had high debts.

Literal Translation

After the studies had he high debts.

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