01
der Geldbeutel
wallet
A small container, usually made of leather or fabric, in which you keep cash, cards, and ID documents. Synonyms are purse or billfold.
example
Ich habe meinen Geldbeutel zu Hause vergessen.
I forgot my wallet at home.
der Geldbeutel
wallet
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Compound structure
'Geldbeutel' (wallet) is a compound noun made up of 'Geld' (money) and 'Beutel' (bag/pouch). So it literally means 'a pouch for money'.
EXAMPLE
Hast du genug Bargeld in deinem Geldbeutel?
Do you have enough cash in your wallet?
Typical verbs
Common verbs used with 'Geldbeutel' (wallet) in its literal meaning include 'den Geldbeutel verlieren' (to lose one's wallet), 'den Geldbeutel zücken' (to pull out one's wallet in order to pay), or 'im Geldbeutel nachsehen' (to check in one's wallet).
EXAMPLE
An der Kasse zückte er seinen Geldbeutel.
At the checkout, he pulled out his wallet.
Context clue
You can often recognize the figurative meaning 'Budget' (budget) from verbs like 'schonen' (to spare), 'belasten' (to strain/burden), or 'sprengen' (to exceed/blow). These describe the effect of costs on financial means.
EXAMPLE
Ein neues Auto würde unseren Geldbeutel zu sehr belasten.
A new car would strain our budget too much.
Fixed expressions
In the figurative sense, there are fixed expressions such as 'tief in den Geldbeutel greifen müssen' (to have to pay a lot) or 'ein Loch in den Geldbeutel reißen' (to cause unexpectedly high costs).
EXAMPLE
Für die Reparatur des Daches mussten wir tief in den Geldbeutel greifen.
We had to dig deep into our pockets for the roof repair.
Compare with
Geldbeutel vs Vermögen
fortune / ability
'das Vermögen' and 'der Geldbeutel' can both have to do with financial means. 'das Vermögen' means someone's total financial assets, often including large assets such as houses or stocks. In its figurative meaning, 'der Geldbeutel' refers more to the money someone can or wants to spend at the moment. The words can be confused because both say something about money. For total wealth, 'Vermögen' is more precise. When it is about a budget or whether something is affordable, 'Geldbeutel' sounds more natural and more everyday.
Geldbeutel
Der Urlaub am Meer ist schön, aber er belastet unseren Geldbeutel stark.
The seaside vacation is nice, but it puts a lot of strain on our budget.
Vermögen
Sein Vermögen reicht aus, um die Wohnung ohne Kredit zu kaufen.
His fortune is enough to buy the apartment without a loan.
In real life
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