geschuldeten

Geschuldeten is a form of the German past participle geschuldet, derived from the verb schulden (to owe). It functions mainly as an adjective or, in some contexts, as a noun. The term conveys that something is owed, due, or payable, and it appears most often in financial, contractual, or legal language.

As an attributive adjective, geschuldeten inflects like a normal German adjective when paired with a definite article. Examples include:

- den geschuldeten Betrag (the amount owed) – masculine singular, accusative

- dem geschuldeten Betrag (the amount owed) – masculine singular, dative

- die geschuldeten Beträge (the amounts owed) – plural, accusative

- den geschuldeten Beträgen (to the amounts owed) – plural, dative

- des geschuldeten Betrags (of the amount owed) – masculine genitive

Note that neuter or feminine forms follow their own endings, with geschuldete or geschuldeter depending on case and gender.

In some contexts geschuldeten also appears as a noun form, especially in legal or formal German, where a noun Geschuldete (or its plural Geschuldeten) denotes a debtor or debtors. For example: Die Geschuldeten wurden aufgefordert, Zahlung zu leisten (The debtors were urged to make payment).

Semantic note: geschuldeten conveys obligation and timeliness of payment. It is distinct from related terms like schuld (guilt) or schuldig (guilty), though etymologically linked through the root Schuld (debt, guilt).

See also: Schuld, Schulden, Schuldner, Geschuldeter.