difficult situation / tilt
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difficult situation
A difficult, problematic, or unstable situation, especially in financial or economic terms.
Durch die Krise ist das Unternehmen in eine ernste Schieflage geraten.
Because of the crisis, the company has fallen into a serious difficult situation.
tilt
A state in which something is not straight, but leaning or tilted.
Die Schieflage des Turms von Pisa ist weltberühmt.
The tilt of the Tower of Pisa is world-famous.
The word is made up of 'schief' (crooked/slanted) and 'Lage' (position/situation). The literal meaning of a slanted position (as with a picture on the wall) is transferred to a problematic, unstable situation.
Die finanzielle Schieflage des Vereins wurde offen diskutiert.
The club's financial difficulties were openly discussed.
The literal meaning refers to physical objects (e.g., a tower, a shelf). The figurative, more common meaning refers to abstract systems such as companies, finances, or the economy.
Die Schieflage des Regals ist gefährlich, wir müssen es befestigen.
The tilt of the shelf is dangerous; we need to secure it.
In the economic or financial meaning, the expression 'in eine Schieflage geraten' (to get into financial/economic difficulty) is often used. Other typical verbs are 'sich befinden' (to be located/to be) or 'bringen' (to bring someone/something into).
Viele kleine Betriebe sind durch die Pandemie in eine Schieflage geraten.
Many small businesses got into difficulty because of the pandemic.
crisis
Krise and Schieflage can both refer to a difficult or unstable situation, for example at a company. A Schieflage can persist for longer and describe an imbalance, whereas a Krise usually refers to an acute phase that requires an urgent decision. Choose Schieflage for an ongoing problem and Krise for an acute escalation.
Wegen seiner finanziellen Schieflage sucht das Unternehmen seit Monaten nach neuen Einnahmen.
Because of its financial difficulties, the company has been looking for new sources of income for months.
Wegen der akuten Krise muss das Unternehmen heute über seine Zukunft entscheiden.
Because of the acute crisis, the company has to decide about its future today.
