to guarantee / vouch
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to act as guarantor
To take on financial or legal responsibility for another person's debts or obligations. You guarantee that you will step in if the other person cannot pay or fulfill the obligation.
Seine Eltern mussten für seinen Kredit bei der Bank bürgen.
His parents had to act as guarantors for his bank loan.
to vouch for
To guarantee or stand behind the quality, reliability, or correctness of something or someone.
Der gute Ruf dieses Herstellers bürgt für die hohe Qualität seiner Produkte.
The good reputation of this manufacturer vouches for the high quality of its products.
The verb 'bürgen' (to guarantee / vouch) is almost always used with the preposition 'für' (for) and the accusative. You 'bürgt für jemanden' (vouch for someone) or 'für etwas' (for something).
Ich kann nicht für das Verhalten meines Bruders bürgen.
I can't vouch for my brother's behavior.
This verb belongs to a word family. 'Der Bürge' is the person who acts as guarantor, and 'die Bürgschaft' is the guarantee itself. Recognizing this family helps with vocabulary learning.
Um die Wohnung zu mieten, brauchte er einen Bürgen.
In order to rent the apartment, he needed a guarantor.
When a person 'bürgt' (acts as guarantor), it is usually about finances, e.g. for a loan. When an abstract term like 'der gute Ruf' (the good reputation) or 'der Name' (the name) 'bürgt' (vouches), it is about a guarantee of quality.
Mein Onkel hat für mein Studiendarlehen gebürgt.
My uncle acted as guarantor for my student loan.
to guarantee
Both words can express that something is reliable or correct. garantieren is the general, direct assurance of a result, while bürgen für more strongly means personally standing behind the quality, reliability, or correctness of something. Choose bürgen für when this personal responsibility is especially important.
Der Verkäufer bürgt für die gute Qualität des gebrauchten Fahrrads.
The seller vouches for the good quality of the used bicycle.
Der Verkäufer garantiert die gute Qualität des gebrauchten Fahrrads.
The seller guarantees the good quality of the used bicycle.
