A commercial enterprise or company that sells goods, provides services, or carries out business activity.
Examples
Die Firma wächst seit Jahren.
The company has been growing for years.
Ich arbeite in einer kleinen Firma.
I work at a small company.
Unsere Firma stellt Ersatzteile her.
Our business manufactures spare parts.
Die Firma hat neue Mitarbeiter eingestellt.
The company hired new employees.
Nach der Krise musste die Firma sparen.
After the crisis, the firm had to cut costs.
Eine lokale Firma reparierte das Dach.
A local company repaired the roof.
Die Firma beliefert Kunden in ganz Europa.
The business supplies customers across Europe.
Similar words
Unternehmen
Betrieb
Geschäft
Gesellschaft
Konzern
Handelsbetrieb
Registered business name
noun
legal
technical
The legally used name under which a merchant or company conducts business and appears in commercial dealings.
Examples
Die Firma muss im Handelsregister eindeutig sein.
The company name must be clear in the commercial register.
Das Geschäft wird unter der Firma Meyer und Co. geführt.
The business operates under the trade name Meyer and Co.
Der Rechtsformzusatz gehört zur Firma.
The legal-form suffix is part of the registered business name.
Die neue Firma wurde zur Eintragung angemeldet.
The new company name was submitted for registration.
Unter dieser Firma kann der Kaufmann klagen.
Under this business name, the merchant can sue.
Die alte Firma blieb nach der Übernahme bestehen.
The old trade name remained after the takeover.
Eine irreführende Firma kann abgelehnt werden.
A misleading company name can be rejected.
Similar words
Firmenname
Handelsname
Geschäftsname
Unternehmensname
Geschäftsbezeichnung
Disreputable group
noun
social
informal
A dismissive colloquial word for a group of people, suggesting a dubious crowd or unpleasant bunch.
Examples
Was ist das denn für eine Firma?
What kind of bunch is that?
Mit dieser Firma will ich nichts zu tun haben.
I want nothing to do with that crowd.
Das ist mir eine saubere Firma.
That is quite a fine lot, said sarcastically.
Die ganze Firma stand plötzlich vor der Tür.
The whole gang suddenly stood at the door.
Er traute dieser Firma nicht über den Weg.
He did not trust that bunch at all.
Die Firma dankt und geht nach Hause.
This outfit says thanks and goes home.
So eine Firma bringt nur Ärger.
A crowd like that only brings trouble.
Similar words
Sippschaft
Gesellschaft
Bande
Truppe
Haufen
Etymology
Borrowed in the eighteenth century from Italian firma, meaning a legally binding signature, from firmare and Latin firmare, to confirm or make firm.
FAQ
What does Firma mean in German?
Firma most often means a company, firm, or business.
What gender is Firma?
Firma is feminine: die Firma.
What is the plural of Firma?
The plural is Firmen.
Can Firma mean a registered business name?
Yes. In legal and commercial German, Firma can mean the name under which a merchant or company does business.
Does Firma mean signature in German?
Not in ordinary modern German. The source word meant a binding signature, but the normal German word for signature is Unterschrift.
What is the difference between Firma and Unternehmen?
In everyday use they can overlap. Strictly, Firma can mean the registered business name, while Unternehmen means the enterprise.
Can Firma be used negatively for people?
Yes. In colloquial German, Firma can mock a group as a dubious bunch or crowd.
What does die Firma dankt mean?
It is a joking phrase meaning thanks, often with a dry or playful tone.
How is Firma pronounced?
It is pronounced /ˈfɪʁma/.
What are common synonyms for Firma?
For the company sense, common synonyms include Unternehmen, Betrieb, Geschäft, and Gesellschaft.
Comments & contributions
Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
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Contribution
Trusty Pangolin
Jul 12
Those endings are not decoration on invoices. Meyer GmbH, Meyer e.K., Meyer UG, the GmbH or e.K. is part of the proper Firma.
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Misty Hedgehog
Jul 1
I wouldnt use Firma if the question is about the works council or the actual site where people work. That is usually Betrieb. Normal speech mixes them, legal/admin German really doesnt.
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Solid Snail
Jun 29
Legal German is much narrower than the office-chat meaning. A solo freelancer can have a website name and a logo and still not have a Firma in the HGB sense, because Firma there means the name a merchant or registered company trades and signs under. I got caught by that when reading German contracts, tbh.
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Violet Fox
Jun 22
bei meiner Firma is normal German for my employer. Learners over-correct it to in, but both can work