Advertisements and postings for housing in Germany use many abbreviations. Following is an overview of standard abbreviations:
Abbreviation |
German |
English |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Zi-Whg | 2-Zimmer-Wohnung | two-room apartment |
| 2 ZKB | 2 Zimmer, Küche, Bad | two rooms, kitchen, bathroom |
| 2 ZKBB | 2 Zimmer, Küche, Bad, Balkon | two rooms, kitchen, bathroom, balcony |
| Abstellk. | Abstellkammer | storage closet |
| Bj. | Baujahr | year of construction |
| Blk./Balk. | Balkon | balcony |
| Courtage | Courtage | commission or fee for estate agents |
| D | Diele | hallway |
| DG | Dachgeschoss | under the roof/attic rooms/loft apartment |
| DHH | Doppelhaushälfte | semi-detached house / duplex |
| DU | Dusche | shower |
| EB | Erstbezug | first tenancy |
| EBK | Einbauküche | fitted kitchen |
| EFH | Einfamilienhaus | single family house |
| EG | Erdgeschoss | ground floor |
| ETH | Etagenheizung | heating system covering one floor of the building |
| ETW | Etagenwohnung | apartment / flat |
| Grdst | Grundstück | plot of land |
| G-WC | Gäste-WC | separate toilet for guests |
| HH | Hochhaus | high-rise building |
| HK | Heizkosten | heating costs |
| HZG / HZ | Heizung | heating |
| Kau. | Kaution | deposit |
| KDB | Küche, Diele, Bad | kitchen, hall, bathroom |
| keine zusätzl. Prov. | keine zusätzliche Provision | no additional commission |
| KM | Kaltmiete | rent excluding utility costs (heating, cable TV, cleaning of communal areas, waste removal etc.) |
| KP | Kaufpreis | purchase price |
| m2 / qm | Quadratmeter | square meter (sqm) |
| Makler | Makler | real estate agent |
| MM | Monatsmiete | monthly rent |
| möbl. | möbliert | furnished |
| NK/NBK | Nebenkosten | additional costs such as heating, cable TV, cleaning of shared areas, waste removal etc. |
| NR | Nichtraucher | non-smoker |
| Nutzfl. | Nutzfläche | floorspace |
| OG | Obergeschoss | upper floor |
| Part. | Parterre | ground floor |
| RH | Reihenhaus | terraced house |
| sep. | separates | separate |
| Stellpl. | Stellplatz | parking space |
| Terr. | Terasse | terrace, patio |
| TG | Tiefgarage | underground parking |
| TL | Tageslicht | natural light |
| UG | Untergeschoss | basement |
| VB/VHB | Verhandlungsbasis | asking price |
| VH | Vorderhaus | front of the house |
| warm/WM | Warmmiete | rent including all utility costs (heating, cable TV, cleaning of communal areas, waste removal etc.) |
| WBS | Wohnberechtigungsschein | "Wohnberechtigungsschein" - certificate that allows you to live in subsidised housing |
| WE | Wohneinheit | living unit |
| Wfl. | Wohnfläche | floor area |
| WG | Wohngemeinschaft | shared accommodation / flat share |
| Whg. | Wohnung | apartment, flat |
| WK | Wohnküche | open-plan kitchen |
| ZFH / 2 FH | Zweifamilienhaus | two-family house |
| ZH | Zentralheizung | central heating |
| Zi. | Zimmer | room(s) |
| ZKB | Zimmer, Küche, Bad | rooms, kitchen, bathroom |
| ZKBB | Zimmer, Küche, Bad, Balkon | rooms, kitchen, bathroom, balcony |