auction
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auction
A public sale event in which goods or services are sold to the person who makes the highest bid.
Das Kunstwerk wurde bei einer Auktion für einen Rekordpreis versteigert.
The artwork was auctioned off at an auction for a record price.
In connection with 'Auktion' (auction), two verbs are central: 'versteigern' (to sell something at auction) and 'ersteigern' (to buy something at auction).
Das Auktionshaus versteigert nächste Woche seltene Briefmarken.
The auction house is auctioning off rare stamps next week.
To describe the place where something happens, the preposition 'bei' with the dative is usually used. Sometimes you also hear 'auf'.
Bei der Auktion wurden hohe Preise erzielt.
High prices were achieved at the auction.
Common combinations are 'eine Auktion veranstalten' (to hold an auction) or 'etwas zur Auktion bringen' (to put something up for auction). You can also speak of an 'Online-Auktion' (online auction) or a 'Kunstauktion' (art auction).
Der Erlös der Auktion wird für einen guten Zweck gespendet.
The proceeds from the auction will be donated to a good cause.
sale / sales
'der Verkauf' and 'die Auktion' both have to do with selling goods. 'Verkauf' is the general process: goods are given to a buyer in exchange for money. 'Auktion' is a special kind of sale. In an auction, several people bid money, and the person with the highest bid gets the goods. The words can be confused because every auction is a sale. But not every sale is an auction.
Bei der Auktion bot ein Sammler am Ende den höchsten Preis.
At the auction, a collector ended up making the highest bid.
Der Verkauf der Konzertkarten beginnt morgen früh.
The sale of the concert tickets begins tomorrow morning.