Einschätzung

Einschätzung is a German noun meaning the act of estimating or assessing something. It derives from the verb einschätzen, meaning to estimate or evaluate, and from Schätzung, estimation. In usage, the term denotes a judgement or appraisal made on the basis of available information at a given time.

It is widely used in everyday language and in professional contexts, including risk assessment, market analysis, medical diagnosis, legal evaluation, and project planning. An Einschätzung can refer to a current evaluation of a situation, a person’s abilities, a project’s prospects, or the probability of an outcome.

Two broad forms are commonly distinguished: qualitative Einschätzung (subjective appraisal or opinion) and quantitative Einschätzung (numerical estimate). In scientific and professional work, assessments aim to be evidence-based, transparent, and reproducible, though they are always subject to uncertainty and bias. Methods such as structured interviews, checklists, and decision frameworks are used to improve reliability.

In everyday language people say "meine Einschätzung ist…" to express their view, while in formal contexts phrases like "eine Einschätzung der Lage" or "eine Einschätzung des Marktes" are common. Related terms include Beurteilung (judgment), Schätzung (estimate), Prognose (forecast), and Risikobewertung (risk assessment).