Meaning
To come to a mutual understanding or decision.
Cultural Background
The 'Tarifautonomie' allows unions and employers to negotiate wages without government interference. This is where 'Einigungen' are most famously erzielt. The 'Sozialpartnerschaft' is a similar system where consensus is the primary goal of all economic policy. The 'Konkordanzdemokratie' means the government itself is based on a permanent 'Einigung' between all major parties. German diplomats are known for pushing for 'Einigungen' that everyone can live with, often called a 'lazy compromise' if it takes too long.
Use it in Emails
When finishing a negotiation via email, write: 'Ich freue mich, dass wir eine Einigung erzielt haben.' It sounds very professional.
Don't use 'machen'
English speakers always want to say 'make an agreement'. In German, this sounds like you are building a physical object. Stick to 'erzielen'.
Meaning
To come to a mutual understanding or decision.
Use it in Emails
When finishing a negotiation via email, write: 'Ich freue mich, dass wir eine Einigung erzielt haben.' It sounds very professional.
Don't use 'machen'
English speakers always want to say 'make an agreement'. In German, this sounds like you are building a physical object. Stick to 'erzielen'.
The 'Jein' Factor
Germans often say 'Jein' (Ja + Nein) during the process of 'eine Einigung erzielen'. It means they agree with part of it but not all.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing verb in the correct form (Present Tense).
Die beiden Firmen _______ eine Einigung.
The standard collocation is 'eine Einigung erzielen.'
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'We reached an agreement' in the past?
The Perfekt tense uses 'haben' + 'erzielt'.
Match the German phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are the core components of the phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Können wir uns beim Preis treffen? B: Ja, wenn Sie 100 Euro weniger zahlen, _______ wir eine Einigung.
In a negotiation context, 'erzielen' is the most professional choice.
In which situation would you MOST likely hear 'Eine Einigung wurde erzielt'?
Select the best context:
The phrase is formal and common in news and high-level negotiations.
🎉 Score: /5
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
5 exercisesDie beiden Firmen _______ eine Einigung.
The standard collocation is 'eine Einigung erzielen.'
How do you say 'We reached an agreement' in the past?
The Perfekt tense uses 'haben' + 'erzielt'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the core components of the phrase.
A: Können wir uns beim Preis treffen? B: Ja, wenn Sie 100 Euro weniger zahlen, _______ wir eine Einigung.
In a negotiation context, 'erzielen' is the most professional choice.
Select the best context:
The phrase is formal and common in news and high-level negotiations.
🎉 Score: /5
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsYou can, but it sounds like a joke. It's like saying 'I have reached a consensus with my stomach.' Better use 'sich einigen'.
'Einigung' is the act of agreeing; 'Abkommen' is the formal document or treaty that results from it.
No, you can also 'erzielen' results (Ergebnisse), profits (Gewinne), or goals in soccer (Tore).
You say: 'Wir konnten keine Einigung erzielen.'
Related Phrases
sich einigen
similarTo agree with each other
einen Kompromiss schließen
specialized formTo make a compromise
zu einem Ergebnis kommen
similarTo reach a result
ein Abkommen treffen
specialized formTo make a treaty/deal
uneinig sein
contrastTo be in disagreement
