German Conversation · Level 84
57 words
German word
begleichen
Pronunciation
IPA/bəˈglaɪ̯çən/
Meaning
- verbpay
Example
Er begleicht die Rechnung sofort.
He pays the bill immediately.
More examples
Sie hat den Betrag per Überweisung beglichen.
She paid the amount by bank transfer.
Core concept
A ledger line moves from owing to balanced when money closes the gap.
Common phrases
Schulden begleichen
pay off debts
einen Betrag per Überweisung begleichen
pay an amount by bank transfer
Similar words
bezahlen: Paying a person or business for goods, services, or a charge.
zahlen: Paying a specified amount that is due.
überweisen: Sending money to another person's account through a bank.
ausgleichen: Covering a shortfall or difference to bring the accounts into balance.
Definition in German
eine offene Rechnung oder Schuld durch Zahlung vollständig oder teilweise ausgleichen
Word origin
Begleichen combines the prefix be- with gleichen, historically meaning to make something equal or even, and developed into the financial sense of bringing an account into balance.
Usage tips
- Begleichen is more formal than bezahlen and commonly takes Rechnung, Schuld, or Betrag as its object.
Other meanings
- settleverb
- repayverb
Opposites
- einbehaltenwithholdverb
Related words
- Begleichungpaymentnoun
- beglichenpaidadjective