agreement / arrangement
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agreement
An informal agreement or shared plan that two or more people make with each other in order to coordinate something.
Laut Absprache treffen wir uns um 18 Uhr vor dem Kino.
As agreed, we are meeting at 6 p.m. in front of the cinema.
in consultation with
A fixed expression that indicates that something happens after consultation and in agreement with someone.
Die Entscheidung wurde in Absprache mit der Personalabteilung getroffen.
The decision was made in consultation with the HR department.
collusive agreement
A secret, often illegal or unfair agreement between competitors to influence competition, i.e. a cartel.
Die Unternehmen wurden wegen illegaler Preisabsprachen zu einer hohen Geldstrafe verurteilt.
The companies were given a large fine for illegal price-fixing agreements.
The noun 'die Absprache' is derived directly from the verb 'absprechen' (to agree/coordinate). It describes the result of that action: when people 'etwas miteinander absprechen' (coordinate something with each other), the result is an 'Absprache' (agreement/arrangement).
Wir müssen uns noch wegen des Geschenks absprechen.
We still need to coordinate with each other about the gift.
The most common verb used with 'Absprache' is 'treffen' (to make). The phrase 'eine Absprache treffen' means to make an agreement.
Die beiden Parteien haben eine geheime Absprache getroffen.
The two parties made a secret agreement.
The phrase 'in Absprache mit' (in consultation with) is a fixed expression that always requires the dative. It expresses that an action happens after consultation and with the approval of another person or department.
Der Plan wurde in Absprache mit allen Teammitgliedern entwickelt.
The plan was developed in consultation with all team members.
You can often recognize the negative meaning of an illegal agreement from accompanying words. Adjectives such as 'illegal' or 'geheim' (secret), as well as compounds like 'Preisabsprache' (price-fixing agreement), point to this context.
Die Ermittler deckten eine illegale Absprache zwischen den Baufirmen auf.
The investigators uncovered an illegal agreement between the construction companies.
vote / coordination
Abstimmung refers to the broader process in which the people involved align their plans with one another. Absprache refers more to a specific, often informal agreement within this process. Abstimmung is the better term for ongoing coordination, while Absprache is more appropriate for a detail agreed on jointly.
In einer kurzen Absprache legen die beiden Teams den gemeinsamen Arbeitsbeginn fest.
In a brief discussion, the two teams set a common start time for the work.
Die Abstimmung der Arbeitspläne zwischen den beiden Teams dauert mehrere Tage.
Coordinating the work schedules between the two teams takes several days.
