GLOSSARY
Explanations to common abbreviations and the useful vocabulary
you need to know in Germany.
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ABH
– s. Ausländerbehörde
Abmeldung
– deregistration of your residence in Germany
Abschluss
– degree
ab sofort
– as of now, anytime
Abwicklungsvertrag
– winding-up agreement
ALG
– Unemployment benefit. There are ALG I and ALG II.
Unemployment benefit II (basic security for job-seekers).
Various benefits should support recipients in finding a job so that they
can begin to make a living from their own efforts as soon as possible.Source.
Anmeldung, amtliche Anmeldung
- is a process of registering a residence in the Residents’ Registration Office (Anwohnermeldeamt)
Anwohnermeldeamt - s. Bürgeramt
Arbeitsagentur
- also Bundesagentur für Arbeit – German Federal Employment Agency
Arbeitsbescheinigung
- current certificate issued by the employer (usually not older than 14 days)
Arbeitslosenversicherung
– Unemployment insurance contributions
Aufenthaltserlaubnis, Aufenthaltstitel
– residence permit
Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG)
- Residence Act, full title:
Act on the Residence, Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in
the Federal Territory
Aufhebungsvertrag
– termination agreement, cancellation agreement
Ausbildung
also: Berufsausbildung, duale Ausbildung – vocational training
Ausländer
– a foreigner. A foreigner is anyone who in accordance with the Basic Law (Article 116, paragraph 1) is not German.
Ausländerbehörde, ABH
(also Ausländeramt) – foreigner registration office / Immigration authority
Ausbildungsbescheinigung - s. Bürgeramt
Ausgaben
– s. Betriebsausgaben
Ausländeramt
– s. Ausländerbehörde
Aussiedler
– ethnic German resettler
BAMF
-
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, which is is responsible for
the areas of asylum, migration, integration, repatriation and Jewish immigrants.
It functions as a centre of expertise for migration and integration.
befristed
– limited, fixed-term (usually about contracts)
BeschV (Beschäftigungsverordnung)
– the
Ordinance on the Employment of Foreigners (BeschV) regulates the conditions
under which foreign employees and foreigners already living in Germany can be
admitted to the German labor market.
Betriebsausgaben
– business expences
BIS, Business Immigration Service
– an immigration authority in Berlin;
Blue Card
, official name: EU Blue Card (Section 19a of Residence Act) - a temporar residence permit for skilled immigrants from non-EU countries.
Brutto / Netto
(usually about salary) – the payroll after / befor deductions (tax, insurance etc.)
Bundesagentur für Arbeit
– s. Arbeitsagentur
Bundesland
– State (also called "federal state") in Germany. Some examples: Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony etc.
bundesweit
– all over Germany
Bürgeramt, also Bürgerbüro, Bürgerdienst, Bürgerservice, Anwohnermeldeamt, Meldeamt
– registration authority (source: DAAD) is an institution in which several services for citizens are combined in one place
CEF or CEFR, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
– The
CEFR is a system which makes it possible to describe and measure (foreign) language communication skills.
Deutschkenntnisse
– German language skills (i.e. gute Java-Kenntnisse – good Java skills)
BZST, Bundeszentralamt für Steuer
– Federal Central Tax Office
Einwohnermeldeamt
– Authority responsible for the registration and
deregistration of persons³ You as a foreigner can take care of the following
formalities: Residence registration, driving licence applications, registration
certificates, police clearance certificate (Polizeiliche Führungszeugnis).
Anwohnermeldeamt is often located within the Bürgeramt.
Drittstaat
- Third country - as defined by the German Residence Act are generally all countries, except Germany, other members of European Union (EU), the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;
Drittstaatsangehörige
- Third-country citizens are people who are not nationals of a Member State of the European Union. Source.
EDV, Elektronische Daten Verarbeitung
– IT, computing
Einnhahmen
– revenue
Einkommen
– (business) income
Eintrittstermin
– starting date
Entwickler, Entwicklung
– developer, development
Einwohnermeldeamt
– resident registration office²
Einzelunternehmen
– sole proprietorship (by far the most common legal form in Germany)*
Einzelunternehmer
– sole proprietor
Erklärung zur Beschäftigungsverhältnis
– "Declaration of Employment" (German Consulate in USA: https://www.germany.info/blob/2435484/f0535f0e7c837e45d679d6ed435f6fe0/eu-blue-card-data.pdf). This document will be filled by employer.
Erklärung zur Beschäftigungsverhältnis
Declaration of Employment (German Consulate in USA).
Erklärung zur Beschäftigungsverhältnis is very important document because
German consulates and immigration offices always require it as a "supplement"
to the contract.
Ertragsvorschau
- revenue forecast. Source.
EÜR, Einnahmen-Überschussrechnung
– income surplus accounting
Fachhochschule, FH
, University of Applied Sciences (UAS) -
a German tertiary education institution, specializing in topical areas
(e.g. engineering, technology or business).
entspricht
- equivalent.
E.g. degree from your home country equivalent
to the corresponding German degree.
Fachkraft
- skilled professional
Fachkräfteverfahren nach §81a or: Fachkräfteeinwanderungsverfahren – Immigration Act for skilled workers (from Brochure: Willkommen in Deutschland 2021)
Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz
– accelerated procedure for skilled workers (from Brochure: Willkommen in Deutschland 2021)
Familienkasse
- Family Insurance Fund
Familiennachzug
- subsequent immigration of family members
Finanzamt
– tax office
Freiberufler
– freelancer
Freibetrag
– tax allowance
Freizügigkeitsrecht
– freedom of movement ;(from Brochure: Willkommen in Deutschland 2021)
GbR, Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts
– partnership constituted under civil law (one of company’s legal forms)*
GER, Gemeinsamer Europäischer Referenzrahmen für Sprachen
– The GER, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. S. also CEFR
Gesamteinkommen
– the total income, income without deductions and tax
Gesetz
– law
Gesetzliche Versicherung
– compulsory insurance. Also known as statutory insurance, social insurance. S. also: Pflichtversicherung
Gewerbe
– trade
Gewerbeamt
– trade office / commerce office* (sometimes belongs to Ordnungsamt)
Gewerbeanmeldung
– trade registration. Will be done in Gewerbeamt.
Gewerbefreiheit
– freedom of trade, free access to trade – one of the German rights. Right to run a business, unless there are legal exceptions or restrictions
Gewerbesteuerhebesatz
– trade tax multiplier
Gewerbetreibender
– trader*
Gewinn
– profit
Girokonto
– current bank account (for private purpose). There is also Geschäftskonto – a bank account for the business purpose
gleichwertig
- equal. E.g. degree from your home country equal to the corresponding German degree.
Gründer
– founder of a company
Handelsregister
– the commercial register
Handelsregisterantrag
– the commercial register entry. This is a mandatory for some legal forms. You as IT-freelancer don’t need it
Hauptmieter
– main tenant
Haushaltsbescheinigung
- Household Certificate. Needed while applying for the Child Benefit (s. Kindergeld)
Hausverwaltung, also Wohnungsverwaltung
– house management company
Hebesatz
– s. Gewerbesteuerhebesatz
IdNr., ID-Nr
– s. Steuer-ID or read this article.
IHK, Industrie- und Handelskammer
– CCI, Chamber of Commerce and Industry / Chamber of Industry and Commerce .*
Immatrikulationsbescheinigung
, also called I-Bescheinigung or Immatrikulation – matriculation certificate, i.e. the certificate of your enrollment at the university
Impressum
- Inprint. Background of the imprint obligation in Germany is that the users of the site should be right to know who is responsible for that website.
Informatik
– Computer Science
Informatiker
– in colloquial German it is a collective word for “IT-people”
inkl. MwSt (from inklusive Mehrwertsteuer)
– the price already includes VAT (value-added tax)
ISCO
– International Standard Classification of Occupations, EU-list of high demand occupations. Read more...
Kaltmiete
– basic rent, without electricity, hot water etc.
Kaution
– security deposit, used mostly in according with renting a flat
Kindergeld
– state supplement for child (children) in the family
Kleingewerbe
– small business*
Kleinunternehmer
– small business owner
Kleinunternehmerregelung
– small Business regulation*
Konto
– an account (e.g. in a bank or in an internet service: Paypal-Konto, Google-Konto) s. Girokonto
KVR
Kreisverwaltungsreferat – another name for Immigration Authority (s. Ausländerbehörde) in the city of Munich.
LABO
– another name for Immigration Authority (s. Ausländerbehörde) in the city of Berlin.
LEA
Landesamt für Einwanderung – LEA - another name for Immigration Authority (s. Ausländerbehörde) in the city of Berlin.
Lebenspartnerschaft
eingetragene L. – civil union (Source: Antrag auf Erteilung eines nationalen Visums - Application for a national visa vom Auswärtiges Amt);
Leiharbeitnehmer
– an employee in a temporary employment company (Zeitarbeitsunternehmen)
Lohnsteuerbescheinigung
– Wage tax certificate. A certificate of tax deductions from an employee’s wage. The employee receives the Lohnsteuerbescheinigung from his employer
Mangelberuf(e)
– high-demand ocupation(s). However, the Federal Ministry for Migration (BAMF) prefers the other formulations: “shortage occupations” or “occupations which are regarded as jobs where there is a shortage of applicants”.
Meldeamt
- s. Bürgeramt
Meldebescheinigung
– registration certificate, certificate confirming one’s permanent registration¹;
Meldebestätigung, also amtliche Meldebestätigung
– the same as Meldebescheinigung
Mehr anzeigen
– show more (weniger anzeigen – to hide)
Miete
– rent, usually for accomodation
Mitwirkungspflicht
– obligation to cooperate (with German federal structures, like for example German Federal Employment Agency)
MwSt
– s. inkl. MwSt
Nachmieter
– subsequent tenants
Nationales Visum
– residence visa / Long Stay Visa (other common type is Schengen visa)
Nebenerwerb
– subsequent tenants
Netto
– s. Brutto
Niederlassungserlaubnis
– settlement permit
OHG, Offene Handelsgesellschaft
– general commercial partnership (one of company’s legal forms)*
Ordnungsamt
– s. Gewerbeamt
Pflichtversicherung
– compulsory insurance. In Germany there is a health insurance obligation. If you are an employee, most likely your will get a compulsory (statutory) health
insurance. If you are selfemplyed / freelancer, most likely your will get a privat
insurance;
PLZ
(from Postleitzahl) – postal index, or ZIP code is mandatory while filling documents or entering any postal addresses
Polizeiliche Anmeldung
– the same as amtliche Anmeldung
Probezeit
– probation period in a company. Usually six months
Programmierer
– programmer (instead of this term, in Germany they usually say Informatiker)
Quittung
– receipt, voucher for receipt
Regelbesteuerung
– regular taxation – the most common form of taxation in Germany. In simple words "it is when your invoice includes 19% VAT"
Reiseversicherung
– travel insurance. You (and your family members if they are travelling with you) must cover the time between entry in Germany and the actual start of your work / study / promotion / internship etc.
SCHUFA
– credit Report. Schufa can be requested by the landlord to ensure your freedom from debt**
Schulamt
– education authority (bildungsministerin.de);
Selbstständigkeit
– self-employment, freelance
Sozialversicherungspflichtige Erwerbstätigkeit / Beschäftigung
– employment / occupation with the social package / with employment benefits package (Federal Employment Agency)
Scheinselbständigkeit
– fictitious self-employment, quasi-self-employment, pseudo self-employment
id="schulbescheinigung">Schulbescheinigung
- s. Bürgeramt
sozialversicherungspflichtig(e Tätigkeit)
– employment with benefits package, the most common form of regular employment in Germany
Stellenbeschreibung
- a job description; you will need it among other documents while applying for the national visa and for issuing residence title e.g. Bluecard etc.
Steuer(n)
– tax(es); German taxes every entrepreneur should know:
- Einkommensteuer – income tax
- Gewerbesteuer – trade tax
- Körperschaftsteuer – corporation tax [Br.]; corporate tax [Am.]
- Lohnsteuer – wage and salary tax; wage tax; payroll tax
- Mehrwertsteuer (MWSt) – value-added tax, VAT
- Umsatzsteuer – turnover tax
- Vorsteuer – input tax (VAT paid as input tax)
Steuerberater
– tax advisor; tax practitioner [Br.]; tax preparer [Am.]
Steuerbescheid
– notice of (tax) assessment
Steuererklärung
– tax declaration
Steuer-ID, also: Steueridentifikationsnummer
– is a nationwide and permanent identification number of all persons registered in Germany for tax purposes.
The Steuer-ID is also implemented in other European countries as TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number)
Steuermessbetrag
– tax basis, basis for the assessment of land and trade taxes
Steuermesszahl
– tax indicator
Steuernummer
– tax number
Steuervorauszahlung
– advance tax payment; prepayment of taxes on estimate basis; tax prepayment;
Studienvorbereitung
- study preparation.
Studienzwecken
- study purposes. S. Visum zu Studienzwecken
Teilzeit
– part-time
Termin
– 1: an appointment on fixed day (and time); 2: the meeting for an appointment;
Ummeldung
– re-registration of your residence in Germany
Umsatz
– turnover, (gross) sales
Umsatzsteuer
– s. Steuer(n)
Umsatzsteuer-Voranmeldung
– advance VAT return (the form which will be sent to the tax office monthly or once a quarter)
unbefristed
– with unlimited duration (usually about contracts or residence titles)
Unterkonto
– subaccount. It’s an “account within your bank account”. It is a very convenient and free option – there you can put money for a specific purpose (such as future tax prepayments, business expenses, tax consultant fees,
etc.)
Untermieter
– subtenant, roomer, lodger
Unternehmen
– company, business, enterprise, corporation, organisation
Unternehmer
– trader (as a status for taxation); entrepreneur. About the difference to freelance s. FREELANCER vs TRADER
veraltet
– outdated
verleihende Institutionen
– issuing Institutions, awarding institutions (e.g. about your diploma)
Veröffentlichung
– publication, date of publication
Verpflichtungserklärung
– declaration of commitment
Visum zu Studienvorbereitung
– The visa for "study preparation" is needed for the participation in a preparatory course for the DSH or the Studienkolleg.
Visum zu Studienzwecken
– You need the visa for "study purposes" if you intend to study at university
Vollzeit
– full-time
Vorrangprüfung
- If a non-EU foreigner applies for a job, in some cases
there is a procedure that requires a request to the Federal Employment Agency
whether another person is eligible to occupy the particular job.
(Legal basis: § 2 Abs. 3 BeschV
Warmmiete
– s. Kaltmiete
Werbung
– advertisment
Wohnungsverwaltung
– s. Hausverwaltung
Zeitarbeitsunternehmen
– temporary employment business / company
Zwischenmieter
– intermediate tenant
zzgl. MwSt (zuzüglich Mehrwehrtsteuer)
– you have to add VAT (value-added tax, usually 19%) to the given price
03.07.20 - 29.11.23 ©️ Yarve (Jaroslav Plotnikov)
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