German flat adverts are short, full of abbreviations and packed with adjectives. Learn to read them quickly and to describe a flat with the right adjective endings after ein and kein.
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| German | Meaning |
|---|---|
| die Anzeige, -n | advert, listing |
| die Wohnung, -en (Whg.) | flat, apartment |
| das Zimmer, - (Zi.) | room |
| die Kaltmiete, -n (KM) | basic rent (without utilities) |
| die Nebenkosten (Pl.) (NK) | additional costs, service charges |
| die Warmmiete, -n (WM) | total rent (including utilities) |
| die Kaution, -en | deposit |
| die Einbauküche, -n (EBK) | fitted kitchen |
| das Erdgeschoss, -e (EG) | ground floor |
| das Obergeschoss, -e (OG) | upper floor |
| der Stock, - | floor, storey |
| der Aufzug, Aufzüge | lift |
| der Balkon, -e | balcony |
| der Quadratmeter, - (m²) | square metre |
| der Herd, -e | cooker, stove |
| der Kühlschrank, -schränke | fridge |
| hell | bright, light |
| renoviert | renovated |
| möbliert | furnished |
| zentral | central |
| ab sofort frei | available immediately |
| provisionsfrei | no agent's fee |
| der Vermieter, - / die Vermieterin, -nen | landlord / landlady |
| die WG, -s (Wohngemeinschaft) | shared flat |
When an adjective stands before a noun, it needs an ending. After ein and kein the rule is: if the article does not show the gender clearly, the adjective does. ein could be masculine or neuter, so the adjective adds -er (masculine) or -es (neuter). In all other cases the ending is -e or -en.
| Gender | Nominative |
|---|---|
| masculine | ein großer Balkon |
| feminine | eine helle Küche |
| neuter | ein ruhiges Zimmer |
| plural | keine teuren Wohnungen |
An adjective on its own, with no noun after it, has no ending: Der Balkon ist groß. Die Küche ist hell.
In the accusative only the masculine form changes, exactly like the article: ein → einen, and the adjective ending becomes -en. Feminine, neuter and plural look the same as in the nominative.
| Gender | Nominative | Accusative |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | ein großer Balkon | einen großen Balkon |
| feminine | eine helle Küche | eine helle Küche |
| neuter | ein ruhiges Zimmer | ein ruhiges Zimmer |
| plural | keine alten Fenster | keine alten Fenster |
Typical accusative verbs in flat hunting: haben, suchen, brauchen, mieten, es gibt: Die Wohnung hat einen großen Balkon. Ich suche eine helle Wohnung. Es gibt keinen neuen Herd.
Adverts are short because space used to cost money in newspapers. These abbreviations are still very common online:
Note that the number of rooms does not count the kitchen and bathroom: a 2-Zimmer-Wohnung usually has a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom.
Tap the words in the right order.
You have found a listing for a 2-room flat. Write an email of 60–80 words to the landlady. Introduce yourself (name, age, job), say that you are interested, ask two or three questions about the flat, and ask for a viewing.
Sehr geehrte Frau Vogel, ich habe Ihre Anzeige für die 2-Zimmer-Wohnung in Bonn-Beuel gelesen. Ich heiße Neha Sharma, bin 29 Jahre alt und arbeite als Ingenieurin bei einer Firma in Bonn. Ich bin ruhig und rauche nicht. Ist die Wohnung noch frei? Gibt es einen Keller? Wie hoch sind die Nebenkosten? Ich habe großes Interesse an einer Besichtigung. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Neha Sharma
Always look at the Warmmiete, not just the Kaltmiete. The Nebenkosten usually cover heating, water, rubbish collection and cleaning of the building, and they are paid in advance and settled once a year with a statement. Electricity and internet are usually separate contracts that you arrange yourself.
The Kaution is usually up to three months' basic rent, and the landlord keeps it separately and returns it after you move out if there is no damage. Many listings say provisionsfrei, meaning you pay no agent's fee. Be careful with offers that look too good: never send money or copies of your passport before you have seen the flat and met the landlord or agent in person.
Related: Renting in Germany · Your deposit rights · German A2 lessons
