Liquidation
/likvidaˈt͡si̯oːn/feminine
The English phrase 'liquidation' can be translated into German as Liquidation. If unsure, use Liquidation. Wiktionary also lists Abwicklung.
Meaning: selling a business’s assets (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Liquidation | /likvidaˈt͡si̯oːn/ | feminine |
| Abwicklung | feminine |
The term refers to the process of selling a business's assets. While Liquidation specifically focuses on the sale of assets to pay off debts, other terms can be used depending on the specific context of the business process.
Which one should you use?
Liquidation is used specifically for the sale of assets to settle debts. In contrast, Abwicklung is a broader term used for the general winding up or administrative processing of a business or transaction.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both Liquidation and Abwicklung are feminine nouns and take the definite article die.
How do you pronounce it?
/likvidaˈtsi̯oːn/
Did you know?
- In a darker context, Liquidation can be used as a euphemism for the state-sponsored killing of people, particularly in historical accounts of the SS or Soviet NKVD.
- The word Abwicklung comes from the root wickeln, which means 'to wrap', making the concept of winding up a business a literal linguistic 'unwrapping'.
- If you use Abwicklung in a technical sense, you might also be talking about the 'processing' of a software command or a data stream.
Examples in context
- Die Abwicklung des Unternehmens erfolgt zügig.The liquidation of the company is proceeding swiftly.
- Wir müssen die Firma abwickeln.We need to liquidate the company.
- Die Firma macht dicht.The company is going out of business.
- Die Liquidation des Unternehmens dauert Monate.The liquidation of the company takes months.
- Die Liquidation aller Vermögenswerte wurde beschlossen.The liquidation of all assets was decided.
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are discussing a failing business.
- JuliaJulian, das Geschäft läuft leider nicht mehr.Julian, unfortunately the business is no longer running.
- JulianMüssen wir jetzt die Liquidation einleiten?Do we have to initiate the liquidation now?
- JuliaJa, wir müssen alle Vermögenswerte verkaufen.Yes, we have to sell all assets.
- JulianIch werde morgen einen Anwalt kontaktieren.I will contact a lawyer tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “liquidation” translations and entries Liquidation, Abwicklung, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Abwicklung, Liquidation, CC BY-SA 4.0.
