B1 Noun (plural) / Verb (3rd person singular) Neutral #46 am häufigsten 1 Min. Lesezeit

charges

/ˈtʃɑːrdʒɪz/

Charges represent a formal demand for payment, a legal accusation, or electrical energy.

Wort in 30 Sekunden

  • Amounts of money paid for goods or services provided.
  • Formal legal statements accusing someone of committing a specific crime.
  • The electrical energy stored in a battery or particle.

Overview

'Charges' is a versatile word in English with three primary domains: financial, legal, and scientific. At its core, it implies a 'load' or 'burden' placed upon someone or something, whether that is a financial cost, a legal responsibility for an action, or an electrical state. 2) Usage Patterns: In a financial sense, it is almost always used as a plural noun (e.g., 'service charges'). In a legal sense, it refers to specific counts of a crime (e.g., 'murder charges'). As a verb, it describes the act of asking for payment or the movement of energy into a battery. 3) Common Contexts: You will encounter 'charges' most frequently when looking at bank statements, reading news reports about court cases, or discussing mobile phone batteries. It is also used in leadership contexts, such as being 'in charge' of a group. 4) Similar Words Comparison: While 'fees' usually refer to professional services (like a lawyer's fee), 'charges' are broader and can apply to any commercial transaction. Unlike 'accusations', which can be informal, 'legal charges' are formal and documented by the state. In science, 'charges' are specific to electromagnetism, distinct from 'current' which is the flow of those charges.

Beispiele

1

There are no extra charges for delivery.

everyday

There are no extra charges for delivery.

2

The police dropped the charges due to a lack of evidence.

formal

The police dropped the charges due to a lack of evidence.

3

My phone charges much faster with this new cable.

informal

My phone charges much faster with this new cable.

4

Protons carry positive electrical charges.

academic

Protons carry positive electrical charges.

Häufige Kollokationen

Service charges Service charges
Criminal charges Criminal charges
Free of charge Free of charge

Häufige Phrasen

In charge of

Responsible for

Press charges

To take legal action

Admission charges

Price to enter a place

Wird oft verwechselt mit

charges vs Fees

Fees are typically for professional services or memberships, while charges are more general for any cost or price.

charges vs Prices

A price is the total amount for an item; charges are often additional or specific costs added to a base price.

Grammatikmuster

To face [adjective] charges To be free of charge Subject charges [amount] for [service]

How to Use It

📝

Nutzungshinweise

In financial contexts, 'charges' is neutral. In legal contexts, it is formal and serious. When used as a verb in the third person, it is common in both daily conversation (electronics) and business.


⚠️

Häufige Fehler

Do not confuse 'charges' with 'change' (the money you get back). Also, avoid using 'charges' as a singular noun when referring to a price; use 'charge' instead.

Tips

💡

Check your bank statements for hidden charges

Always look for 'hidden charges' which are extra costs not mentioned in the initial price.

⚠️

Legal charges are serious matters

If someone 'faces charges,' it means they are going to court for a suspected crime.

🌍

Service charges vary by country

In some countries, service charges are included in the price, while in others, they are added at the end.

📖

Wortherkunft

Derived from the Old French word 'chargier', meaning to load a wagon or to burden someone with a task.

🌍

Kultureller Kontext

In the UK and US, 'service charges' are often debated in restaurants regarding whether they replace a tip or are an additional fee.

🧠

Merkhilfe

Think of a 'Credit Charge' (money) and a 'Police Charge' (crime). Both involve a 'bill' you have to answer for.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

4 Fragen

A fee is often a fixed price for professional advice or a specific right, while a charge is a more general term for any cost applied to a service or transaction.

It means to officially accuse someone of a crime so that a legal prosecution can begin.

Yes, it is the third-person singular form of the verb 'to charge,' meaning he or she asks for money or fills a battery.

These are additional costs added to the bill to pay for the work of the staff serving you.

Teste dich selbst

fill blank

Fill in the blank with the correct usage of the word.

The hotel added extra ___ for using the mini-bar.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: charges

In this context, we need the plural noun referring to costs.

multiple choice

Identify the meaning of 'charges' in the following sentence: 'The suspect faces three charges of theft.'

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Legal accusations

In a court or police context, charges refer to the crimes someone is accused of.

sentence building

Select the correct order to form a sentence.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: The bank charges high fees.

This follows the Subject-Verb-Object pattern where 'charges' acts as the verb.

🎉 Ergebnis: /3

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