The German words on your letters
You will see these words on forms, letters and websites. Here is what they mean.
- Abmeldung — Deregistration
- Telling the registration office that you are moving abroad. Guide →
- Anmeldung — Address registration
- Registering your home address with the local registration office after you move in. Guide →
- Aufenthaltstitel — Residence permit
- The document that allows a non-EU citizen to live in Germany — usually a card (eAT). Guide →
- Ausländerbehörde — Immigration office
- The local authority that issues and extends residence permits. Some cities use other names. Guide →
- Bürgeramt — Citizens' office
- The local office for registration and other everyday admin. Also called Bürgerbüro or Kundenzentrum. Guide →
- ELSTER — Online tax portal
- The tax authorities' official website for tax returns and tax forms. Guide →
- Elterngeld — Parental allowance
- A payment that partly replaces income while you look after a baby. Guide →
- Finanzamt — Tax office
- Your local tax authority. Guide →
- Girokonto — Current account
- An everyday bank account for salary, rent and direct debits. Guide →
- Grundversorgung — Default energy supply
- The local default electricity tariff you are on if you haven't chosen a supplier. Usually expensive. Guide →
- Haftpflicht — Liability
- Usually short for Privathaftpflichtversicherung: insurance for damage you cause to others. Guide →
- Hausrat — Household contents
- Your belongings at home — insured by a Hausratversicherung. Guide →
- Kaltmiete — Net cold rent
- Rent without heating and service charges. Guide →
- Kaution — Rental deposit
- Money you give the landlord as security — capped by law. Guide →
- Kindergeld — Child benefit
- A monthly payment for each child, paid by the Familienkasse. Guide →
- Kita — Daycare
- Short for Kindertagesstätte: childcare for young children. Guide →
- Krankenkasse — Public health insurer
- A statutory health insurance fund. Guide →
- Krankmeldung — Sick note
- Telling your employer you are ill — plus a doctor's certificate (AU) when required. Guide →
- Kündigung — Cancellation / notice
- Ending a contract — a job, a flat, a phone plan. Notice periods apply.
- Lohnabrechnung — Payslip
- Your monthly salary statement. Guide →
- Meldebescheinigung — Proof of registration
- The confirmation you get after your Anmeldung. Guide →
- Nebenkosten — Service charges
- Extra housing costs such as heating, water and building maintenance. Guide →
- Niederlassungserlaubnis — Permanent residence permit
- An unlimited residence permit. Guide →
- Rundfunkbeitrag — Broadcasting fee
- A monthly fee per household that funds public broadcasting. Guide →
- SCHUFA — Credit agency
- Germany's best-known credit reference agency. Guide →
- Sozialversicherungsnummer — Social security number
- Your number in the pension insurance system. Your employer needs it. Guide →
- Sperrkonto — Blocked account
- An account that pays out a fixed amount each month — often used as proof of funds for a visa. Guide →
- Steuer-ID — Tax ID
- Your lifelong personal tax identification number. Guide →
- Steuerklasse — Tax class
- The category that decides how much wage tax is deducted from your salary. Guide →
- Steuernummer — Tax number
- A number the tax office gives you for a tax return or business — different from the Steuer-ID. Guide →
- Termin — Appointment
- Most offices only see you with a booked appointment.
- Warmmiete — Warm rent
- Rent including heating and service charges. Guide →
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — Landlord's confirmation
- A form from your landlord confirming you moved in. You need it for the Anmeldung. Guide →