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 [beh-LOH-noong].
- The “lohn” part rhymes with “loan,”
- The final “ung” sounds like “oong,” but slightly nasal,
- 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:
- Material or financial rewards
- Geldbelohnung – cash reward
- eine Belohnung aussetzen – to offer a reward (often in legal/police context)
- Emotional or symbolic rewards
- als Belohnung ein Lob bekommen – to receive praise as a reward
- Belohnung nach harter Arbeit – the satisfaction after hard work
- 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.
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Die Belohnung motivierte alle Teilnehmer.
The reward motivated all the participants. - Accusative:
Er hat die Belohnung ehrlich verdient.
He truly earned the reward. - Dative:
Mit der Belohnung konnte sie sich einen Wunsch erfüllen.
With the reward, she was able to fulfill a wish. - Genitive:
Wegen der Belohnung meldete sich ein Zeuge.
Because of the reward, a witness came forward.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- belohnen – to reward (verb)
- Lohn – wages or compensation (related word!)
- Belohnungssystem – reward system
- Lob und Belohnung – praise and reward
- Erfolg als Belohnung – success as a reward
- eine gerechte Belohnung – a fair reward
Fun idiomatic note:
A common phrase:
"Ohne Fleiß keine Belohnung."
“No reward without effort.”
It's a softer version of the stricter Ohne Fleiß kein Preis (“No pain, no gain”).
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Belohnung
🎥 Learn Belohnung and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
If you're talking about a prize in a contest, Preis might be more accurate. For recognition or honor, Auszeichnung is better. But when it’s a personal or motivating reward, whether emotional or material—Belohnung is the word you want.
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Besucher means? How about Betrüger? Find out!