What does “Opportunitätskosten” mean in German?

“Opportunitätskosten” — opportunity costs — is what you lose by not taking the other option. The desert diamond-or-water puzzle makes this vivid: the diamond costs more in euros, but its opportunity cost is enormous, because the water you gave up could have kept you alive. Any either-or choice carries this hidden price: the full value of the path you said no to.

Spoken in the clip: “müssen wir außerdem noch die Opportunitätskosten berücksichtigen, also was man verliert, wenn man die andere Option aufgibt” — “we must also count the opportunity costs, that is, what you lose when you give up the other option.” It joins “Opportunität” (chance, opportunity) and “Kosten” (costs). So: the cost of the chance you did not take. Plain examples: - “Die Opportunitätskosten eines freien Tages sind das Geld, das du nicht verdienst.” — A free day costs you the money you do not earn. - “Studieren hat hohe Opportunitätskosten: drei Jahre ohne volles Gehalt.” — Studying has high opportunity costs: three years without a full salary. Usage notes: It is an economics word, but people also use it for everyday decisions about time and money. It is usually plural (“Kosten” is plural here). The point is the value of the option you said no to, not just the price of the one you chose.