Abbreviations

• 1-Zi., 2-Zi. (= 1-Zimmer, 2-Zimmer ) - 1-room, 2-room
• 1-Zim., 2-Zim. (= 1-Zimmer, 2-Zimmer ) - 1-room, 2-room
  As in “eine 2-Zimmer-Wohnung” (a 2-room apartment)
• 2FH (= Zweifamilienhaus ) - duplex, 2-family house
• 3FH (= Dreifamilienhaus ) - triplex, 3-family house
• 1.OG (= erstes Obergeschoss ) - 2nd floor (U.S.)
• 2.OG (= zweites Obergeschoss ) - 3rd floor (U.S.)
• 2 ZKB (= Zwei Zimmer u. Küche mit Bad ) - 2 rooms & kitchen with bath

A

• AR (= Abstellraum ) - storage room
• AB (= Altbau ) - older building
• Altb. (= Altbau ) - older building
• Ausst. (= Ausstattung ) - furnishings, equipment
• App. (= Apartment/Appartement ) - studio apartment/flat
  Note: The German word das Apartment or das Appartement refers to a one-room or studio apartment/flat. A normal apartment is “eine Wohnung”.

B

• Blk. (= Balkon ) - balcony
• Bj. (= Baujahr ) - year of construction
• bezugsf. (= bezugsfertig ) - ready for occupancy

C

• ca. (= circa, zirka ) - approximately

D

• DG (= Dachgeschoss ) - attic
• DoGa (= garage Doppelgarage ) - 2-car
• DHH (= Doppelhaushäfte ) - semi-detached house
• Du. (= Dusche ) - shower

E

• EB (= Erstbezug ) - first occupancy (new)
• EBK (= Einbauküche ) - built-in kitchen
• EFH (= Einfamilienhaus ) - single-family house
• EG (= Erdgeschoss ) - ground floor
• E-Hzg. (= Elektroheizung ) - electric heat
• ELW (= Einliegerwohnung ) - small apt./flat in a house, granny flat
• erl. (= erlaubt ) - permitted, allowed
• ETH (= Etagenheizung ) - floor heating
• ETW (= Etagenwohung ) - suite (on one floor)
• EUR (= Euro ) - euro, €

F

• F-Raum (= Fahrradraum ) - bike storage
• FB-Hzg. (= Fußbodenheizung ) - in-floor heating
• FeHa (= Ferienhaus ) - vacation house
• FP (= Festpreis ) - fixed price
• freist. (= freistehend ) - free-standing, non-attached
• FW (= Fernwärme ) - district heating (piped-in)

G

• Garten-Ant. (= Gartenanteil ) - small garden/yard
• Garten-Ben. (= Gartenbenutzung ) - use of garden
• Garten-Mitben. (= Gartenmitbenutzung ) - shared garden
• GD (= Glasdach ) - skylight, glass roof
• geh./gehob. (= gehoben(e) ) - above average
• GEZ (= Gebühreneinzugszentrale ) - (German) collection center for TV and radio license fees
  Note: Owners of a TV set or radio in Germany are required by law to pay a monthly fee (collected quarterly or annually) for the public radio and TV channels. That fee is collected by the GEZ.
• Grdst. (= Grundstück ) - land, property
• G-WC (= Gäste-WC ) - guest toilet
• GZ-Hzg. (= Gaszentralheizung ) - central gas heating

H

• HZ (= Heizung ) - heating
• Hzg. (= Heizung ) - heating

I

• Immo-Ges. (= Immobiliengeschäft ) - real estate agency
• Immo-Hdl. (= Immobilienhändler ) - real estate agent
• incl./inkl. (= inklusive ) - including, with
• ISO (= Isolierverglasung ) - insulating glass

J

• jährl. (= jährlich ) - annual
• JM (= Jahresmiete ) - annual rent

K

• Kabel (= Kabelanschluss ) - cable TV
• kalt (= Kaltmiete ) - (rent) without utilities
• Kaut. (= Kaution ) - deposit
• –>2 MM Kaut. (= 2 Monatsmieten Kaution ) - deposit of 2 months’ rent
• KDB (= Küche, Dusche, Bad ) - kitchen, shower, bath
• KFZ/Kfz (= Kraftfahrzeug ) - car, vehicle
• Kfz-Einstpl. (= Kraftfahrzeug-Einstellplatz ) - car (parking) space
• Ki. (= Kinder ) - kids, children
• –>mit Ki. (= mit Kindern ) - with kids/children
• kinderfreundl. (= kinderfreundlich ) - kids welcome
• kl. (= klein ) - small
• KM (= Kaltmiete ) - rent without utilities
• Kochgel. (= Kochgelegenheit ) - kitchen facilities/privileges
• KoNi (= Kochnische ) - kitchenette
• KP (= Kaufpreis ) - selling price
• kpl. (= komplett ) - completely
• kpl. möbl. (= komplett möbliert ) - completely furnished
• KT/Kt. (= Kaution ) - deposit

L

• lux. (= luxuriös/Luxus ) - luxurious, luxury

M

• m2 (= Quadratmeter ) - square meters/metres
• –>Also qm (= Quadratmeter ) - square meters
• MFH (= Mehrfamilienhaus ) - multi-family building
• MM (= Monatsmiete ) - month’s rent
• –>2 MM Kaution (= 2 Monatsmieten Kaution ) - deposit of 2 months’ rent
• möbl. (= möbliert ) - furnished furnished
• –>voll möbl. (= voll möbliert ) - fully furnished
• möbl. Zi. (= möbliertes Zimmer ) - furnished room
• mod. (= modern ) - modern
• MP (= Mietpreis ) - rental price/rate
• mtl. (= monatlich ) - monthly

N

• NB (= Neubau ) - new house, new construction
• neuw. (= neuwertig ) - like new
• Nfl. (= Nutzfläche ) - usable floor area
• NK (= Nebenkosten ) - extra costs, utility costs
• NR (= Nichtraucher ) - non-smokers
• Nr. (= Nummer ) - (house) number
• n.V. (= nach Vereinbarung ) - as agreed

O

• off. Kamin (= offener Kamin ) - fireplace
• OG (= Obergeschoss
  ) - upper floor
• –>4OG (= 4. Obergeschoss ) - fourth upper floor
  Culture: Don’t forget the difference between the US and European ways in counting floors. Since the first floor above the ground is the first floor in Germany, the German 4th floor is an American 5th floor.
  • ÖZ-Hzg. (= Ölzentralheizung ) - central oil heating

  P

  • PLZ or Plz (= Postleitzahl ) - postal/ZIP code
  • Prov. (= Provision ) - commission
  • prov.-frei (= fee provisionsfrei ) - no commission

  Q

  • qm (= Quadratmeter
    ) - square meters/metres
    Culture: 1 Quadratmeter = 10.764 sq. feet or 1.196 sq. Yards
  • –>Also m2 (= ) - square meters/metres

  R

  • REH (= Reihenendhaus ) - end row house/townhouse
  • ren.-bed. (= renovierungsbedürftig ) - needs renovation
  • RH (= Reihenhaus ) - row house, townhouses
  • RMH (= Reihenmittelhaus ) - middle row house/townhouse

  S

  • Sat (= Satellitenanlage ) - satellite TV system
  • selbst. (= selbstständig ) - independent, on your own
  • sep. (= separat ) - separate
  • Str. (= Straße ) - street
  • Stud. (= Student ) - student
  • SZ (= Schlafzimmer ) - bedroom(s)

  T

  • Tel. (= Telefonnummer ) - telephone number
  • Terr. (= Terrasse ) - terrace, patio
  • TG (= Tiefgarage ) - underground parking
  • TG-Pkw. (= Tiefgarage für Pkws ) - underground car space
  • Tiere (= Tierhaltung ) - pets OK

  U

  • UG (= Untergeschoss ) - basement floor
  • Umgeb. (= Umgebung ) - area, neighborhood
  • Uni-Nähe (= Universitätsnähe ) - near university

  V

  • VB (= Verhandlungsbasis ) - or best offer (negotiable)
  • Verk.-Anb. (= Verkehrsanbindung ) - access to public transportation
  • VHB (= Verhandlungsbasis ) - or best offer (negotiable)
  • VHS (= Verhandlungssache ) - subject to negotiation
  • voll möbl. (= voll möbliert ) - fully furnished
  • vorh. (= vorhanden ) - available, provided
  • VS (= Verhandlungssache ) - subject to negotiation

  W

  Z

  • WC (= WC ) - toilet (water closet)
  • WE (= Wohneinheit ) - living unit
  • WG (= Wohngemeinschaft ) - shared flat
  • Whg. (= Wohnung ) - apartment
  • Wohnfl. (= Wohnfläche ) - living area/space
    • ZB (= Zimmer mit Bad ) - room with bath
    • ZFH/2FH (= Zweifamilienhaus ) - duplex
    • Zi. (= Zimmer ) - room, rooms
    • Zim. (= Zimmer ) - room, rooms
    • ZKB (= Zimmer, Küche, Bad ) - room, kitchen, bath
    • z. verk. (= zu verkaufen ) - for sale
    • z. verm. (= zu vermieten ) - for rent
    • zzgl. (= plus zuzüglich; as in “Miete zzgl. Strom” (rent plus electricity) ) - excluding, not including