property / ownership
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ownership
The legal relationship between a person and a thing that gives them full power of disposal over it. It describes the right to own something, use it, and make decisions about it.
Nach der letzten Ratenzahlung geht das Auto in mein Eigentum über.
After the final installment payment, the car passes into my ownership.
property
The thing or the totality of things that legally belong to someone; possessions.
Bei dem Feuer hat die Familie ihr gesamtes Eigentum verloren.
In the fire, the family lost all their property.
'Eigentum' (property/ownership) is derived from the adjective 'eigen' (own). The ending '-tum' is often used in German to form abstract nouns from adjectives, as in 'Reichtum' (wealth, from 'reich' (rich)).
Das Adjektiv 'eigen' ist die Basis für das Nomen 'Eigentum'.
The adjective 'eigen' (own) is the basis for the noun 'Eigentum' (property/ownership).
The word has an abstract and a concrete meaning. The abstract, legal meaning (m01) is uncountable. The concrete meaning (m02) refers to the totality of things that belong to a person.
Mit der letzten Rate geht das Fahrrad in dein Eigentum über.
With the final installment, the bicycle passes into your ownership.
In its legal meaning, 'Eigentum' (ownership) is often used in fixed expressions. Examples are 'geistiges Eigentum' (intellectual property, e.g., for inventions or art) or the phrase 'in jemandes Eigentum übergehen' (to pass into someone's ownership).
Geistiges Eigentum ist durch das Urheberrecht geschützt.
Intellectual property is protected by copyright law.
When 'Eigentum' (property) means the totality of possessions, it is often combined with possessive pronouns and adjectives like 'gesamt' (entire) or 'persönlich' (personal): 'mein gesamtes Eigentum' (all my property), 'ihr persönliches Eigentum' (her/their personal property).
Bitte achten Sie auf Ihr persönliches Eigentum.
Please look after your personal property.
possession
Besitz and Eigentum can refer to the same thing, but they do not mean the same thing in the legally important distinction between them. Besitz refers to actual control over something, while Eigentum refers to legal ownership and the right to decide what happens to it. Use Besitz when the focus is on actual control and Eigentum when the focus is on the legal right to it.
Obwohl seine Schwester das Fahrrad benutzt, bleibt es in seinem Eigentum.
Although his sister uses the bicycle, it remains his property.
Obwohl das Fahrrad nicht ihm gehört, hat er es seit Monaten in seinem Besitz.
Although the bicycle does not belong to him, he has had it in his possession for months.
