Bestellung

Bestellung is a German noun with several related meanings centered on the idea of arranging or commissioning something. The most common uses are: an order for goods or services placed by a customer; and the act or process of appointing someone to a position or role. In legal and administrative language, the term can also refer to a formal appointment or assignment documented in writing.

Etymology and sense development: Bestellung comes from the verb bestellen, meaning to order, arrange, or supply. The suffix -ung turns the verb into a noun, yielding the generic sense of “an order” or “an appointment,” depending on the context. The term is widely used across business, public administration, and everyday German.

Commerce and procurement: In business, eine Bestellung means a purchase order or request for goods or services. It encompasses the initiation of a procurement transaction, the specification of items, quantities, and delivery terms, and often the assignment of a delivery deadline. Related concepts include Bestellnummer (order number), Bestellvorgang (ordering process), and Stornierung oder Widerruf der Bestellung (cancellation or withdrawal of the order). The term is standard in catalogs, invoices, and procurement systems.

Administration and appointments: In organizational or legal contexts, Bestellung can denote the appointment of an individual to a post or function. This use appears in phrases like die Bestellung eines Bevollmächtigten (the appointment of an authorized representative) and highlights formal, often statutory, designation rather than a commercial transaction.

Usage notes: In English contexts, Bestellung is typically translated as “order” in commerce and “appointment” or “designation” in administrative senses. The exact translation depends on the surrounding wording and purpose.