credit / balance
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balance
The amount available in an account; a positive balance in a bank account, on a prepaid card, or in a customer account.
Bitte laden Sie Ihr Prepaid-Guthaben auf, um weiter telefonieren zu können.
Please top up your prepaid balance so you can continue making calls.
The word is made up of 'gut' (good) and 'haben' (to have). So it literally describes a value that one 'has' in one's favor.
Wenn du ein Guthaben hast, besitzt du einen positiven Wert.
If you have a balance, you possess a positive value.
In the context of banks or mobile phones, with verbs like 'aufladen' (to top up) or 'abfragen' (to check), it refers to the account balance. In the context of shopping, with verbs like 'einlösen' (to redeem) or 'erhalten' (to receive), it refers to credit for future purchases.
Auf meinem Handy habe ich nur noch wenig Guthaben.
I only have a little credit left on my phone.
When referring to an account balance, Guthaben is often 'aufgeladen' (topped up), 'überprüft' (checked), 'abgefragt' (checked/requested), or 'aufgebraucht' (used up).
Du solltest dein Guthaben aufladen, bevor es aufgebraucht ist.
You should top up your balance before it is used up.
When referring to a credit, a Guthaben is often 'erhalten' (received), 'ausgestellt' (issued), or 'eingelöst' (redeemed).
Dieses Guthaben können Sie bei Ihrem nächsten Einkauf einlösen.
You can redeem this credit on your next purchase.
plus
'das Plus' and 'das Guthaben' can both mean a positive amount. However, 'das Plus' is more general: it can be a gain, a surplus, or a positive balance, especially in numbers or reports. 'das Guthaben' more specifically means money or value that is available to someone, for example in an account, on a card, or as a credit. Learners may confuse the words because both express something positive in relation to money. In practice: you have a 'Guthaben' in an account; in a balance sheet or calculation, you are 'im Plus' (in the black / in positive territory).
Auf meiner Prepaid-Karte ist noch ein Guthaben von zehn Euro.
There is still a balance of ten euros on my prepaid card.
Nach einem guten Monat steht die kleine Firma wieder im Plus.
After a good month, the small company is back in the black.