bezahlen vs entrichten
German word comparison
Listen to bezahlen
Listen to entrichten
| bezahlen | entrichten |
|---|---|
be-ZAH-len verb (transitive) | /ɛnˈtrɪçtən/ verb (transitive) |
| to pay (a bill, price, or cost) | to pay (a fee, tax, or official charge) |
How they differ
Entrichten is used for formal, official payments such as taxes, fees or charges owed to an authority; bezahlen is used for general purchases and everyday payments. Entrichten rarely appears for casual retail transactions.
When to use each
When to use bezahlen: Prefer bezahlen for everyday shopping, restaurant bills, and casual payments.
When to use entrichten: Prefer entrichten when talking about paying official fees, taxes, or charges to institutions or authorities.
Side-by-side examples
- Ich bezahle die Parkuhr.
(I pay the parking meter.) - Die Steuer ist bis Ende April beim Finanzamt zu entrichten.
(The tax must be paid to the tax office by the end of April.)
Register & nuance: Entrichten is formal and often used in administrative or legal language; it sounds bureaucratic in everyday conversation.