compensation
Loading your saved state.
compensation
A legally regulated financial or material compensation that a person or institution must provide in order to make up for damage they caused to another party.
Nach dem Wasserschaden forderte der Mieter vom Vermieter Schadenersatz für die zerstörten Möbel.
After the water damage, the tenant demanded compensation from the landlord for the destroyed furniture.
This word is a compound made up of 'der Schaden' (damage) and 'der Ersatz' (replacement/compensation). The 's' in the middle is a linking element that connects the two words. The literal meaning is 'replacement for damage'.
Die Versicherung prüft die Forderung auf Schadenersatz.
The insurance company is reviewing the claim for compensation.
'Schadenersatz' is a term from legal and insurance language. It is mainly used in formal and official contexts.
Im Vertrag ist genau geregelt, wann ein Anspruch auf Schadenersatz besteht.
The contract specifies exactly when a claim for compensation exists.
Common verbs are 'Schadenersatz fordern' (to demand compensation) or 'verlangen' (to demand) from the perspective of the injured party, and 'Schadenersatz leisten' (to provide/pay compensation) or 'zahlen' (to pay) from the perspective of the person responsible.
Der Verursacher des Unfalls musste hohen Schadenersatz leisten.
The person responsible for the accident had to pay a large amount of compensation.
To state the reason for the compensation, the preposition 'für' (for) is used followed by the accusative.
Er bekam Schadenersatz für sein kaputtes Auto.
He received compensation for his broken car.
replacement / compensation
'der Ersatz' and 'der Schadenersatz' can both have to do with compensation for a loss or damage. 'Ersatz' is more general. It can be a new object instead of a broken one, but also compensation or restitution. 'Schadenersatz' is more precise and usually legal in meaning: someone has to pay for damage they caused or make up for it. Learners may confuse the words because in both cases something is replaced or compensated for. For a broken light bulb or a stand-in, you say 'Ersatz'. When it is about money or a service because of damage someone caused, 'Schadenersatz' is more precise.
Nach dem Unfall fordert die Fahrerin Schadenersatz von der Versicherung.
After the accident, the driver is demanding compensation from the insurance company.
Für das kaputte Ladegerät bekomme ich im Geschäft einen Ersatz.
I will get a replacement for the broken charger at the store.