ledigen

Ledigen is a German verb meaning to settle, discharge, or bring to a close an obligation, claim, or matter. The term is most commonly found in formal, legal, and administrative language and is less frequent in everyday speech. It conveys the idea of bringing an obligation to an end, for example by paying, releasing from liability, or concluding a dispute.

In usage, ledigen is transitive and typically governs objects such as Schuld (debt), Forderung (claim), Hypothek (mortgage), Vertrag (contract), or ein Verfahren (a procedure). In legal or financial texts, phrases like eine Schuld ledigen or eine Forderung ledigen are used to indicate that the obligation is extinguished or the matter is resolved. The sense is closer to “settle” or “discharge” rather than merely “complete,” and it often implies a formal or official resolution.

The term is considered formal or archaic in contemporary everyday German, where synonyms like begleichen, erledigen, or abwickeln are more common depending on context. It is important to note a potential ambiguity with Ledigen, a noun form referring to single, unmarried people (the plural Die Ledigen). This noun sense is unrelated to the verb and appears in historical or demographic contexts rather than legal prose.

Overall, ledigen is a specialized verb mainly encountered in legal, financial, or administrative text, used to express the completion or release of an obligation or dispute.