Abreden

Abreden is a German term that appears both as a verb and as a noun. As a verb, abreden means to arrange or to come to an agreement with someone, typically through discussion or negotiation. In its noun form, Abrede refers to an agreement or understanding reached between parties, usually informal or tacit rather than formal contract language. The plural Abreden is uncommon in modern everyday usage but can be found in older or literary texts.

Etymology and sense use are tied to the verb reden (to talk) with the prefix ab-, indicating a result of talking or concluding an agreement. Because of its roots, Abrede often conveys a sense of informal or oral understanding rather than a written contract. In contemporary German, more common terms for similar meanings are Vereinbarung (agreement), Absprache (accord, consultation), or Abmachung (settlement), while Abrede may appear in historical, legal-archaic, or literary contexts.

Usage notes and examples: A tacit understanding between colleagues might be described as eine stillschweigende Abrede. Eine Abrede kann auch formell durch eine mündliche oder schriftliche Absprache über Termine, Pflichten oder Verhaltensweisen ausgedrückt werden. In modern legal language tends to favor Vereinbarung or Absprache, reserving Abrede for contexts that are informal, idiomatic, or stylistically elevated.

See also: Abmachung, Absprache, Vereinbarung.