C1 · 50 words

The economy in the news

What the economics pages report and how the pieces fit together.

Der Haushalt is something a child helps with and something a parliament votes on, and German uses one word for both. At home it is the household: the people under one roof and the running of it, which is why a dishwasher is ein Haushaltsgerät and helping at home is im Haushalt helfen. On the economics page it is the budget of a state, a Land or a town, and the compounds follow suit: der Bundeshaushalt, die Haushaltsdebatte, das Haushaltsloch. The bridge between the two is the verb haushalten, to keep what comes in and what goes out in step, which is what both kinds of household are supposed to do. So when a headline announces der Haushalt steht, nobody has moved house: the budget has been agreed. In a compound, read to the end: der Haushaltsplan belongs to the budget, die Haushaltshilfe to the home.

The words

Verb (6)

abflauento ease off, to slackenVerbC1

Nach dem Boom der Vorjahre ist die Nachfrage nach Neubauten spürbar abgeflaut.After the boom of recent years, demand for new homes has eased off noticeably.

Separable; perfect with sein: ist abgeflaut.

ankurbelnto boost, to kick-startVerbC1

Mit Steuererleichterungen will die Regierung den privaten Konsum ankurbeln.The government wants to boost private consumption with tax relief.

Separable: die Regierung kurbelt die Wirtschaft an.

überhitzento overheatVerbC1

Wenn die Zinsen zu lange niedrig bleiben, kann der Immobilienmarkt überhitzen.If interest rates stay low for too long, the property market can overheat.

Inseparable: der Markt überhitzt.

stagnierento stagnateVerbC1

Die Reallöhne haben jahrelang stagniert, während die Mieten stiegen.Real wages stagnated for years while rents went up.

Perfect with haben: hat stagniert.

zulegento grow, to gain (of figures)VerbC1

Im Frühjahr hat die Wirtschaft stärker zugelegt, als erwartet worden war.In the spring the economy grew faster than had been expected.

Separable: legte zu, hat zugelegt. In everyday speech also to put on weight.

senkento lower, to cut (rates, prices, costs)VerbC1

Wenn die Inflation nachlässt, dürfte die Zentralbank die Zinsen senken.If inflation eases, the central bank is likely to cut interest rates.

Regular and transitive: senkte, hat gesenkt. What falls by itself sinkt (sank, ist gesunken).

This list belongs to Work, money and trade — 47 lists and 1883 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 50 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.