verstaatlichen

to nationalise

verb fer-SHTAHT-li-khen Rare

Usage Note

verstaatlichen is the opposite of privatisieren: to bring a private enterprise under state ownership or control. Eine Bank verstaatlichen = to nationalise a bank, as seen in financial crises.

Examples

"Die Regierung drohte, die Bank zu verstaatlichen."

Natural Translation

The government threatened to nationalise the bank.

Literal Translation

The government threatened the bank to nationalise.

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