Schuld

Schuld is a German noun with two primary meanings: debt and guilt. In finance and law, Schuld denotes an obligation to pay money or to perform a duty. It can refer to contractual debts, statutory liabilities, or other financial obligations. The plural Schulden refers to debts; Schuldner denotes a debtor, Gläubiger a creditor, and Schuldbrief or Schuldschein are instruments documenting borrowings.

In moral and legal contexts, Schuld also means guilt or responsibility for a misdeed. Phrases such as "Schuld haben" (to be at fault) and "Schulden tragen" (to bear debts) reflect its dual usage in everyday language. In legal language one may distinguish Schuld as liability, versus Vorwurf or Schuld im moral sense.

Geography: Schuld is also the name of a municipality in Germany, located in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Culture: In German translations of Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment is titled Schuld und Sühne. In general discourse, Schuld is a central term in ethics and social psychology.

See also: Debt, Guilt, Liability, Promissory note.