German office words from Germany, explained
The words you see in official letters in Germany, in plain English.
- Ablehnung
- Rejection.
- Aktenzeichen
- Case number. Write it on every reply.
- Anhörung
- Your chance to explain your side before they decide.
- Anmeldung
- Registering your address with the city.
- Antrag
- Application.
- Aufenthaltstitel
- Residence permit.
- Bedarfsgemeinschaft
- Everyone in your household who is counted together for benefits.
- Beitragsnummer
- Your account number for the TV and radio fee.
- Bekanntgabe
- The day the letter counts as delivered. For posted letters, usually 4 days after the date on the letter.
- Bescheid
- Official decision. It becomes final if you don’t object in time.
- Bewilligung
- Approval.
- Bußgeld
- Fine.
- Einspruch
- Objection. Used for tax offices, fines and court orders. It must be sent before the deadline.
- Erstattung
- Refund — or, in some letters, a demand that you pay money back. Check who pays whom.
- Fiktionsbescheinigung
- Temporary paper that lets you stay legally while your permit is being processed.
- Forderung
- Claim. Money someone says you owe.
- Frist
- Deadline.
- Guthaben
- Credit. Money that belongs to you.
- Inkasso
- Debt collection.
- Kassenzeichen
- Payment reference. Put it in the reference field when you pay.
- Kaution
- Rental deposit.
- Klage
- Lawsuit. Going to court.
- Kündigung
- Ending a contract.
- Lastschrift
- Direct debit. They take the money from your account automatically.
- Leistungen
- Benefits — money or services you get from the state.
- Leistungsminderung
- Cut in your benefits, for example after a missed appointment.
- Mahngebühr
- Late fee added because of a reminder.
- Mahnung
- Payment reminder. You paid late or not at all.
- Meldetermin
- Required appointment at the Jobcenter or employment agency.
- Mitwirkungspflicht
- Your duty to help, for example by sending documents. If you don’t, they can stop payments.
- Nachweis
- Proof, for example a payslip, contract or certificate.
- Nachzahlung
- Extra payment. You owe more than you already paid.
- Nebenkosten
- Extra costs on top of the rent, like heating and water.
- Pfändung
- Seizure of money or things to pay a debt.
- Ratenzahlung
- Paying in instalments.
- Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung
- The part at the end that explains how and by when you can object.
- Rundfunkbeitrag
- Public TV and radio fee. One per household.
- Säumniszuschlag
- Late payment charge, added for every month you are late.
- Stellungnahme
- Your written statement or explanation.
- Steuer-ID
- Your personal 11-digit tax ID. It never changes.
- Stundung
- Postponing a payment.
- Überweisung
- Bank transfer.
- Unterlagen
- Documents or papers.
- unverzüglich
- Immediately, without delay.
- Verwarnungsgeld
- Small fine, up to 55 €.
- Verwendungszweck
- The reference text for a bank transfer.
- Vollstreckung
- Enforcement. Taking money by force, for example from your bank account.
- Widerspruch
- Objection. A written complaint that a decision is wrong. It must be sent before the deadline.
- Zustellung
- Formal delivery. The delivery date is often written on the envelope — keep it.