installment / rate
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installment
A partial amount of a larger sum of money that is paid at regular intervals in order to pay off a debt or pay for something over time.
Ich zahle das neue Fahrrad in sechs monatlichen Raten ab.
I am paying off the new bicycle in six monthly installments.
rate
A measure that indicates the frequency of an event or change within a specific period of time or in relation to another quantity.
Die Inflationsrate ist im letzten Monat unerwartet gestiegen.
The inflation rate rose unexpectedly last month.
You can recognize the meaning of 'Rate' from the context. If it is about money, loans, or payment, it means an installment (m01). If it is about statistics, economics, or science, it means a rate or frequency (m02).
Die erste Rate für das Auto ist nächsten Monat fällig.
The first installment for the car is due next month.
The most important expression for this meaning is 'in Raten zahlen' (to pay in installments) or 'etwas auf Raten kaufen' (to buy something in installments). This describes buying something through regular partial payments.
Wir haben die neue Waschmaschine in zwölf monatlichen Raten bezahlt.
We paid for the new washing machine in twelve monthly installments.
In the statistical meaning, 'Rate' is very often the second part of a compound noun. Examples are 'Wachstumsrate' (growth rate), 'Arbeitslosenrate' (unemployment rate), 'Inflationsrate' (inflation rate), or 'Fehlerrate' (error rate).
Die Arbeitslosenrate ist ein wichtiger Wirtschaftsindikator.
The unemployment rate is an important economic indicator.
sentence / set
Here, der Satz is a fixed percentage or calculation value, for example for interest. die Rate, by contrast, is the part of a larger sum that is paid regularly. For a loan, the Satz therefore determines the cost, while the Rate indicates how much is paid on a regular basis.
Die Rate für den Kredit liegt bei 300 Euro im Monat.
The monthly loan payment is 300 euros.
Der Satz für die Kreditzinsen liegt bei vier Prozent im Jahr.
The interest rate on the loan is four percent per year.
