Economy and the labour market Wirtschaft an Aarbechtsmaart
Jobs, pay, taxes and firms: the words for reading the economic news and talking about work, from the contract to social security.
By the end of this lesson you can
- Talk about the economy, growth and the state of the labour market.
- Describe a job: contract, salary and what the unions negotiate.
- Discuss taxes, the budget and social contributions.
- Read figures in euros and say what has been decided, cut or raised.
27 words and phrases
- d'Wirtschaft
- economy
- d'Konjunktur
- economic situation, economy
- de Wuesstum
- growth
- d'Industrie
- industry
- d'Entreprise
- firm, business
- d'Investitioun
- investment
- d'Konkurrenz
- competition
- den Export
- export
- de Budget
- budget
- d'Steier
- tax Plural: d'Steieren.
- d'Steierreform
- tax reform
- d'Gehalt
- salary, wages Neuter. Plural: d'Gehälter.
- d'Aarbechtsplaz
- job, workplace
- den Aarbechtsmaart
- job market
- d'Aarbechtslosegkeet
- unemployment
- de Kollektivvertrag
- collective agreement
- de Streik
- strike
- d'Cotisatioun
- contribution, membership fee
- d'Kannergeld
- child benefit Neuter.
- d'Rent
- (retirement or disability) pension
- d'Situatioun
- situation
- schwiereg
- difficult
- eestëmmeg
- unanimous
- wéinst
- because of
- d'Spuermoossnam
- economy measure
- kierzen
- to cut
- héijen
- to raise, to increase
Grammar
Aarbecht- compounds: the last part gives the gender
Aarbecht (work) joins the next word with an -s-. The gender follows the last part: d'Plaz is feminine, so d'Aarbechtsplaz; de Maart and de Vertrag are masculine, so den Aarbechtsmaart and den Aarbechtsvertrag; d'Reform is feminine, so d'Steierreform.
Aarbechtslosegkeet ends in -keet, which makes a feminine noun: d'Aarbechtslosegkeet.
- Hie sicht nach ëmmer eng Aarbechtsplaz. — He is still looking for a job.
- D'Situatioun um Aarbechtsmaart ass am Ament schwiereg. — The situation on the job market is difficult at the moment.
- Mäin Aarbechtsvertrag gesäit 32 Deeg Congé d'Joer vir. — My employment contract provides for 32 days of leave a year.
Figures: euros, per cent and millions
After a number Euro and Prozent stay as they are: dräi Prozent, 250 Milliounen Euro. Millioun is feminine and takes -en in the plural: siwe Milliounen.
- Fir dëst Joer rechnen d'Ekonomiste mat engem Wuesstum vun dräi Prozent. — For this year economists expect growth of three per cent.
- Duerch eng nei Steier konnt de Staat siwe Milliounen Euro anzéien. — Through a new tax the state was able to collect seven million euros.
What was decided: the passive with ginn
News reports say what was decided, cut or raised with the participle and ginn. In the present: ginn gehéicht. In the perfect the participle of ginn stays ginn: ass ugeholl ginn, sinn gekierzt ginn.
- De Budget ass eestëmmeg ugeholl ginn. — The budget was adopted unanimously.
- Wéinst de Spuermoossname sinn d'Gehälter gekierzt ginn. — Because of the savings measures, salaries have been cut.
- D'Cotisatioune vun de Krankekeese ginn d'nächst Joer gehéicht. — The contributions to the health funds will be raised next year.
Practice
14 exercises: multiple choice, typing, matching pairs and word order.