Vocabulary
billigen
/ˈbɪlɪɡn̩/· verb
to approve (formally), to sanction, to endorse; to approve of, to condone
Billigen — formal: a parliament, a cabinet or a committee billigt a draft (gives it formal approval); you can also billigen or missbilligen someone's behaviour. It has nothing to do with billig (cheap).
CEFR C1Frequency ●●●●●
Your memory
New
Learning
Familiar
Strong
Mastered
Conjugation
- ich
- billige
- du
- billigst
- er/sie/es
- billigt
- wir
- billigen
- ihr
- billigt
- sie/Sie
- billigen
Perfekt hat gebilligtPräteritum billigte
One word, many lives
Tap a meaning. Real German isn't a dictionary translation.
billigen
to approve formally
Das Kabinett hat den Entwurf am Mittwoch gebilligt.
The cabinet approved the draft on Wednesday.
Word family
billigendie Billigungapprovalmissbilligento disapprove ofdie Missbilligungdisapproval
Common combinations
- einen Entwurf billigento approve a draft
- etwas stillschweigend billigento tacitly approve of something
- mit großer Mehrheit gebilligtapproved by a large majority
- etwas billigend in Kauf nehmento knowingly accept something (law)
Similar & opposite
≈ Synonyms
genehmigengutheißen
↔ Opposites
missbilligenablehnen
Common learner mistakes
- Das Parlament hat den Plan verbilligt.Das Parlament hat den Plan gebilligt.verbilligen means to make cheaper; billigen (to approve) has nothing to do with billig.
Real examples
- Der Bundesrat billigte das Gesetz mit knapper Mehrheit.The Bundesrat approved the law by a narrow majority.
- Dass ihr Sohn die Ausbildung abbrechen will, billigen die Eltern keineswegs.The parents by no means approve of their son wanting to drop out of his apprenticeship.
- Laut Urteil hat der Raser den Tod der Fußgänger billigend in Kauf genommen.According to the judgment, the speeding driver knowingly accepted that the pedestrians might die.
