to pay out / to pay off
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to pay out
To pay someone a full amount of money that is owed or has been saved up. This often refers to salaries, winnings, or insurance benefits.
Nächste Woche wird mir mein restlicher Urlaub ausbezahlt.
Next week, my remaining vacation will be paid out to me.
to pay off
To be worthwhile or prove advantageous. An investment or effort leads to a positive result.
Das jahrelange Training hat sich endlich ausbezahlt, als sie die Meisterschaft gewann.
The years of training finally paid off when she won the championship.
'Ausbezahlen' (to pay out) is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'aus' comes at the end. In subordinate clauses or in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Die Firma bezahlt die Überstunden am Monatsende aus.
The company pays out overtime at the end of the month.
When the verb has to do with money, salaries, or insurance, the literal meaning is meant. When it is used reflexively ('sich ausbezahlen'), it has the figurative meaning 'sich lohnen' (to be worthwhile).
Die Bank hat ihm den Lottogewinn ausbezahlt.
The bank paid out his lottery winnings to him.
In the financial meaning, you can either pay out a person (accusative) or pay out something (accusative) to a person (dative).
Er hat seinen Geschäftspartner ausbezahlt und führt die Firma nun allein.
He paid out his business partner and now runs the company alone.
The figurative meaning 'sich lohnen' (to be worthwhile) is always formed with the reflexive pronoun 'sich'. The subject of the sentence is the effort or investment that proves advantageous.
Das jahrelange Lernen hat sich mit dem guten Abschluss ausbezahlt.
The years of studying paid off with the good degree.
to pay
Bezahlen can generally express settling a debt or paying someone for something. Ausbezahlen emphasizes that a fixed, owed, or saved-up amount is paid out in full to a person. Use „bezahlen“ for paying a debt and „ausbezahlen“ for paying out a salary or winnings in full.
Der Arbeitgeber muss den feststehenden Lohn am Monatsende vollständig ausbezahlen.
The employer has to pay out the fixed salary in full at the end of the month.
Der Arbeitgeber muss die Rechnung des Lieferanten bezahlen.
The employer has to pay the supplier’s bill.
