In an economic sense, having the ability to meet payment obligations that are due immediately; being able to pay.
example
Nach dem Verkauf der Immobilie war das Unternehmen wieder liquid.
After the sale of the property, the company was solvent again.
Usage tips
False friend
Careful: 'liquid' in German usually means 'zahlungsfähig' (solvent, financially able to pay). It is a false friend of the English word 'liquid', which primarily describes the state of matter 'flüssig' (liquid).
EXAMPLE
Das Unternehmen musste Insolvenz anmelden, weil es nicht mehr liquid war.
The company had to file for insolvency because it was no longer solvent.
Register and context
The meaning 'zahlungsfähig' (solvent) belongs to the technical language of business and finance. It is used when talking about the financial health of companies or individuals.
EXAMPLE
Um den Kredit zu bekommen, müssen Sie nachweisen, dass Sie liquid sind.
In order to get the loan, you must prove that you are solvent.
Typical use
The adjective 'liquid' is not declined in this meaning and usually comes after the noun in combination with the verbs 'sein' (to be) or 'bleiben' (to remain).
EXAMPLE
Trotz der Krise ist es der Firma gelungen, liquid zu bleiben.
Despite the crisis, the company managed to remain solvent.
Register
The meaning 'flüssig' (liquid) is very rare in German and is used almost only in scientific or technical specialist texts, e.g. chemistry.
EXAMPLE
Bei Erhitzung wird das Harz liquid und kann verarbeitet werden.
When heated, the resin becomes liquid and can be processed.
Compare with
antonym
liquid vs fest
firm / fixed
'fest' and 'liquid' are opposites when it comes to the state of a substance. 'fest' means that something has a hard or stable form and does not flow. In this context, 'liquid' means fluid, so not solid and not gaseous. In normal German, people usually say 'flüssig' for this; 'liquid' sounds more technical or foreign-language-based. Important: in business contexts, 'liquid' can also mean solvent or able to pay, but that is not the opposite of 'fest' here.
liquid
In der Beschreibung steht, dass der Stoff bei Raumtemperatur liquid ist.
The description says that the substance is liquid at room temperature.