depreciation / copying
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depreciation
In accounting, the planned reduction in the value of an asset (e.g., a machine or vehicle) over its useful life. This is often done for tax reasons.
Die Abschreibung für den neuen Firmenwagen wird über fünf Jahre verteilt.
The depreciation for the new company car will be spread over five years.
'Die Abschreibung' is the noun derived from the verb 'abschreiben' (to depreciate/to copy). It describes the process or result of the action expressed by the verb, meaning either the reduction of a value or the copying of a text.
Das Abschreiben von alten Büchern war eine wichtige Aufgabe der Mönche.
Copying old books was an important task for monks.
This meaning belongs exclusively to the field of business, taxes, and accounting. Words like 'Firma' (company), 'Maschine' (machine), 'Anlage' (asset/equipment), 'Nutzungsdauer' (useful life), or 'Steuer' (tax) in the context signal that it is about financial depreciation.
Die hohen Abschreibungen auf die neuen Maschinen haben den Gewinn des Unternehmens reduziert.
The high depreciation on the new machines reduced the company's profit.
In financial contexts, there are fixed expressions. Common ones are 'eine Abschreibung vornehmen' (to make a depreciation entry), 'etwas als Abschreibung geltend machen' (to claim something as depreciation), or technical terms such as 'lineare Abschreibung' (straight-line depreciation) and 'degressive Abschreibung' (declining-balance depreciation).
Der Steuerberater hat uns geraten, eine höhere Abschreibung vorzunehmen.
The tax advisor advised us to make a higher depreciation entry.
In the meaning 'copying,' the noun 'Abschreibung' is rather formal or technical. It is mostly used to describe the process as a concept, especially in historical or scholarly texts.
Die fehlerhafte Abschreibung führte zu einer falschen Interpretation des Originaltextes.
The faulty copying led to an incorrect interpretation of the original text.
removal / cancellation / deduction
'die Absetzung' and 'die Abschreibung' can both occur in connection with taxes and money. 'Absetzung' means that certain costs are deducted from tax so that you have to pay less tax. 'Abschreibung' means, in accounting, that the value of an item is reduced over several years, for example for a car or a machine. Learners may confuse the words because both can be important for tax purposes. 'Absetzung' fits more with costs that you claim. 'Abschreibung' fits more with things that lose value over time.
Die Firma plant die Abschreibung des neuen Lieferwagens über fünf Jahre.
The company plans to depreciate the new delivery van over five years.
Für die Absetzung der Fahrtkosten braucht Mehmet alle Belege.
Mehmet needs all the receipts to claim his travel costs as a tax deduction.