How do you say Reward in German?

Whether it’s a cookie for a child, a bonus at work, or a cash offer for a lost dog - Germans call it a Belohnung. It’s the feel-good word for something earned, promised, or hoped for after effort.

The noun Belohnung means reward, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll find it in parenting, crime dramas, workplace conversations, and motivational speeches.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Belohnung.

Pronunciation

Belohnung is pronounced approximately [buh-LOH-nung], with steady long o and short u.

• lohn has a steady long o followed by n, without the glide in American “loan,”
• The ending -ung has a short u as in “put” and ng as in “sing,”
• The stress is on the second syllable: be-LOH-nung.

It rolls off the tongue like a little prize.

Example sentences:

• Als Belohnung für seine Hilfe bekam er einen Gutschein.As a reward for his help, he received a gift card.
• Es gibt eine hohe Belohnung für Hinweise zur Tat.There’s a large reward for information about the crime.

Nuance and usage tips

Belohnung comes from the verb belohnen - to reward. It can refer to:

1. Material or financial rewards
   • Geldbelohnung - cash reward
   • eine Belohnung aussetzen - to offer a reward (often in legal/police context)
     Finderlohn - reward for returning lost property
2. Emotional or symbolic rewards
   • als Belohnung ein Lob bekommen - to receive praise as a reward
   • Belohnung nach harter Arbeit - reward after hard work
3. Educational / behavioral context
   • Belohnungssystem - reward system (often used with children or animals)
   • positive Verstärkung durch Belohnung - positive reinforcement via reward

Its antonym is Strafe (punishment, feminine) - a very common pairing in discussions about behavior, training, or justice.