will / Testament
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will
A legal document in which a person specifies what should happen to their assets and possessions after their death. It is also called the 'letzter Wille' (last will).
Er hat in seinem Testament verfügt, dass sein Haus an eine gemeinnützige Stiftung gehen soll.
In his will, he specified that his house should go to a charitable foundation.
Testament
One of the two main parts of the Christian Bible.
Die Schöpfungsgeschichte steht im Alten Testament.
The creation story is in the Old Testament.
The meaning of 'Testament' (will/Testament) is easy to recognize from context. If it appears with 'Altes' (Old) or 'Neues' (New), it refers to the Bible. In all other contexts, especially with verbs like 'machen' (to make) or 'errichten' (to draw up), it is about one's last will.
Das Buch Hiob ist Teil des Alten Testaments.
The Book of Job is part of the Old Testament.
In the legal sense, 'Testament' (will) is often combined with certain verbs. The most common are 'ein Testament machen' (to make a will, general), 'ein Testament errichten' (to draw up a will, formal/legal), and 'sein Testament ändern' (to change one's will).
Man kann sein Testament bei einem Notar hinterlegen.
You can deposit your will with a notary.
To talk about the contents of the document, you use the preposition 'in'. You can 'im Testament festlegen' (specify in the will) something or read what 'im Testament steht' (is written in the will).
In seinem Testament stand, dass seine Kinder das Haus erben sollen.
In his will, it said that his children should inherit the house.
legacy / bequest
Testament is the document that records a person’s last will. Vermächtnis, by contrast, is a single provision in it through which someone receives a specific object or sum of money without becoming an heir. Testament is the right term for the whole document, while Vermächtnis refers to this specific bequest.
Herr Klein legt in seinem Testament fest, wie sein Besitz verteilt werden soll.
In his will, Mr. Klein specifies how his property is to be distributed.
Herr Klein hinterlässt seiner Nachbarin durch ein Vermächtnis seine wertvolle Uhr.
Through a bequest, Mr. Klein leaves his valuable watch to his neighbor.
