5.15 Economy and work — Epoché
What you will be able to do Follow economic news: Wirtschaft, Wachstum, Inflation, Umsatz, Gewinn, Verlust, Export . Describe how figures move: steigen, sinken, wachsen , with the right auxiliary in the perfect. Talk about money and finance: Kredit, Schulden, sparen, investieren, Aktie, Zinsen, Währung . Understand the German economic model in its own words: Mittelstand, Sozialstaat, Mindestlohn , and the role of the unions. Sentences from this lesson, before the explanation. Read the German aloud; all of them come back below. German English Die Situation gerät außer Kontrolle. [1] The situation is getting out of control. Er hat sein Geld in Aktien investiert. [2] He invested his money in stocks. Die Regierung sollte mehr Geld in Landwirtschaft investieren. [3] The government should invest more money in agriculture. Sein Gehalt kann mit der Inflation nicht Schritt halten. [4] His salary can't keep pace with inflation. Viele Unternehmen machen im Fernsehen Werbung für ihre Produkte. [5] Many companies advertise their products on TV. Es muss nicht gesagt werden, dass Gesundheit wichtiger als Wohlstand ist. [6] Needless to say, health is more important than wealth. Erst wenn wir unsere Gesundheit verlieren, lernen wir ihren Wert zu schätzen. [7] It is not until we lose our health that we appreciate its value. Können Sie Beweise liefern? [8] Can you provide evidence? Prerequisites : 5.14 — you need the work vocabulary from 5.8 Vocabulary , the nominal style from 2.30 Grammar , and the comparative from 2.18 Grammar . In the second phase you learned the words of a working day: Arbeitgeber , Gehalt , Bewerbung , Gewerkschaft . This lesson steps back and looks at the economy as a whole, the way it appears in the business pages and the evening news. Germany is the largest economy in Europe, built less on huge corporations than on thousands of medium-sized family firms, the Mittelstand , and on a strong welfare state, the Sozialstaat . Much of the vocabulary is international; the rest is native German built from familiar roots. Word list Sixty words in five groups. The economy and its players Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes die Wirtschaft de the economy; business Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs The root is Wirt , host, innkeeper : economy began as running a household. Die Wirtschaft verbessert sich. [9] The economy is improving. wirtschaftlich de economic; economical Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs One word for both economic and economical . Die wirtschaftliche Situation verschlechterte sich. [10] The economic situation grew worse. der Mittelstand de small and medium-sized firms; the middle class Gender / part of speech masculine noun, no plural How English differs In economic news, Germany's family-owned companies; older texts use it for the middle class. Er kommt aus dem Mittelstand. [11] He comes from the middle class. die Industrie（-n） de industry Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Stress on the last syllable: -trie . Die Industrie braucht Stahl. [12] Industry needs steel. der Handel de trade, commerce; deal Gender / part of speech masculine noun, no plural How English differs The trade sector as a whole; one deal is also ein Handel . Der Handel hilft unserer Wirtschaft. [13] Commerce helps our economy. der Konzern（-e） de group of companies, corporation Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs A large business group; a single firm is die Firma or das Unternehmen . Der Konzern plant, ins Ausland zu expandieren. [14] The company plans to expand abroad. der Unternehmer（-） de entrepreneur, business owner Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs From unternehmen , to undertake . Er ist ein erfolgreicher Unternehmer. [15] He's a successful businessman. gründen de to found, to set up Gender / part of speech verb How English differs For companies, cities and schools; the founder is der Gründer . Er hat diese Schule gegründet. [16] He founded this school. die Fabrik（-en） de factory Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Stress on the last syllable: -brik . Diese Fabrik produziert CD-Spieler. [17] This factory produces CD players. der Hersteller（-） de manufacturer Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs From herstellen , to produce . Der Hersteller gibt nur zwei Jahre Garantie. [18] The manufacturer only gives a two-year guarantee. der Rohstoff（-e） de raw material, natural resource Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs raw stuff . Erdgas ist ein wichtiger Rohstoff. [19] Natural gas is an important natural resource. die Landwirtschaft de agriculture, farming Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs land economy . Er studiert Landwirtschaft. [20] He is studying agriculture. der Bauer（-n） de farmer Gender / part of speech masculine noun (n-declension) How English differs Also the pawn in chess; a woman is die Bäuerin . Er möchte Bauer werden. [21] He'd like to be a farmer. Markets and competition Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes die Konkurrenz de competition; competitors Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs Both the rivalry and the rivals: die Konkurrenz is the competitors . Was macht die Konkurrenz besser? [22] What's the competition doing better? der Wettbewerb（-e） de competition; contest Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs The economic principle and also a contest you enter. Im Handel herrscht viel Wettbewerb. [23] There's a lot of competition in business. das Angebot（-e） de offer; supply Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs Supply and demand is Angebot und Nachfrage . Das Angebot gilt 30 Tage. [24] The offer will be valid for thirty days. die Nachfrage（-n） de demand; enquiry Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Danke der Nachfrage is thanks for asking . Die Nachfrage schafft das Angebot. [25] Demand