change
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change
The amount of money in the form of coins and small bills that you get back when you pay with a larger amount than the purchase price. Synonymous with 'Rückgeld' (change).
Ich habe mit einem 50-Euro-Schein bezahlt und warte noch auf mein Wechselgeld.
I paid with a 50-euro note and am still waiting for my change.
'Wechselgeld' (change) is made up of the verb 'wechseln' (to change / to exchange) and the noun 'das Geld' (money). So it is literally the money that 'changes' hands when paying and comes back.
Kannst du mir den Schein wechseln? Ich brauche Wechselgeld für den Automaten.
Can you change this bill for me? I need change for the machine.
In the context of paying, certain verbs are very typical: the seller 'gibt Wechselgeld heraus' (gives out change) and the customer 'bekommt Wechselgeld zurück' (gets change back). You can also pay 'passend' (with the exact amount), in which case you do not need any change.
Die Kassiererin hat mir zu wenig Wechselgeld herausgegeben.
The cashier gave me too little change.
'Wechselgeld' (change) is an uncountable noun (singulare tantum) and is always used in the singular, even when it refers to many coins and bills.
Bitte prüfen Sie Ihr Wechselgeld sofort.
Please check your change immediately.
If you say 'Stimmt so' (keep the change / that's fine) when paying, you signal that you are giving up the change. The remaining amount is then understood as a tip.
Die Rechnung ist 18 Euro. Ich gebe Ihnen 20 und sage: „Stimmt so!“
The bill is 18 euros. I give you 20 and say: 'Keep the change!'
repayment
'die Rückzahlung' and 'das Wechselgeld' both have to do with getting money back. The difference lies in the situation. 'Rückzahlung' is used when someone pays back borrowed money or a debt, often with a loan, a bill, or a private loan. 'Wechselgeld' is what you get back directly when paying if you give more money than something costs. Learners may confuse the words because in both cases money comes back. In practice: for debts or borrowed money, you say 'Rückzahlung'; at the checkout, you say 'Wechselgeld'.
An der Bäckerei merkte Mehmet, dass er sein Wechselgeld vergessen hatte.
At the bakery, Mehmet realized that he had forgotten his change.
Die Rückzahlung des Darlehens beginnt nächsten Monat.
The repayment of the loan begins next month.