Whether it’s the terms of a contract, the rules of a deal, or just “only if you clean your room”—Germans call it a Bedingung. It’s the word that defines what has to happen before something else can.
The noun Bedingung means condition, requirement, or term, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll find it in contracts, negotiations, computer logic, parenting, and arguments.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Bedingung.
Pronunciation
Bedingung is pronounced [beh-DING-oong].
- The “din” rhymes with “sing,”
- The “ung” ends with a soft, nasal “oong,”
- The stress is on the second syllable: be-DING-ung.
It sounds a little technical, but not stiff—it’s used all the time.
Example sentences:
- Die Bedingung für den Vertrag war klar.
The condition for the contract was clear. - Unter diesen Bedingungen mache ich nicht mit.
Under these conditions, I’m not participating.
Nuance and usage tips
Bedingung comes from the verb bedingen—to require or determine. It’s used in many situations:
- Agreements and contracts
- Vertragsbedingungen – contract terms
- Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen (AGB) – general terms and conditions
- Logic or causality
- notwendige Bedingung – necessary condition
- unter der Bedingung, dass... – on the condition that...
- Situations or circumstances
- Arbeitsbedingungen – working conditions
- Lebensbedingungen – living conditions
Its antonym, depending on context, might be:
- Freiheit (freedom) – if you're talking about unconditional offers
- Erfüllung (fulfillment) – if the condition has been met
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Die Bedingung war nicht akzeptabel.
The condition was not acceptable. - Accusative:
Wir haben die Bedingung diskutiert.
We discussed the condition. - Dative:
Mit dieser Bedingung kann ich leben.
I can live with this condition. - Genitive:
Wegen der Bedingung wurde der Vertrag nicht unterschrieben.
Because of the condition, the contract wasn’t signed.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- bedingen – to require / determine
- unter der Bedingung, dass... – on the condition that...
- unbedingt – unconditional / absolute (or: definitely!)
- Bedingungslosigkeit – lack of conditions / unconditionality
- Kondition – condition (but only in terms of physical fitness or stamina)
Fun usage note:
In daily life, Bedingung pops up in small negotiations:
“Du darfst rausgehen, aber nur unter einer Bedingung!”
“You can go out, but only under one condition!”
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Bedingung
🎥 Learn Bedingung and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
For health conditions, use Krankheit or Zustand. For stipulations in formal logic, Voraussetzung (precondition) is also common. But for everyday rules, terms, and "only if"s—Bedingung is the go-to word.
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Bedrohung means? How about Beeilung? Find out!