If you ever decide to move to Germany, you may be looking for an apartment or house to rent. Let's take a look today at some of the basic terminology related to renting a place of your own!

Hallo, ich bin Fine und heute bin ich auf Wohnungssuche.

Hello, my name is Fine and today I am apartment-hunting.

Caption 2, Fine: sucht eine Wohnung

 Play Caption

The first step, of course, to find an apartment is auf Wohnungssuche gehen ("to go apartment-hunting").

Ich habe das Internet nach Stellenanzeigen durchsucht.

I have searched on the internet for job listings.

Caption 5, Berufsleben: das Vorstellungsgespräch

 Play Caption

In much the same way as you would search for work via job listings on the internet, you can search die Wohnungsanzeigen ("the apartment listings") online on sites such as Immobilienscout.

Ich würde vorschlagen, da machen wir einen Termin am Freitag um zwölf Uhr.

I'd suggest that we make an appointment for Friday at noon.

Caption 26, Mein Weg nach Deutschland: Beim Arzt

 Play Caption

Once you have found an available apartment that meets your requirements for size, price, and neighborhood etc., you can make an appointment to see the apartment.

Hat der keinen Antrag gestellt? Das würd' ich dringend raten!

Didn't he file an application? I would strongly advise that!

Caption 75, Meine fremde Freundin: Was alle denken

 Play Caption

When you find an apartment you like, you will need to then fill out an apartment application (der Wohnungsantrag or die Wohnungsbewerbung). You may also be required to give a credit report, called a Schufa. This syllable word abbreviation is short for Schutzgemeinschaft für allgemeine Kreditsicherung ("Protective Association for General Credit Security"). It's easy to understand why this is commonly abbreviated!

Es gibt jetzt einen Vertrag.

There is now a contract.

Caption 37, Wincent Weiss & Benni Freibott: Musik sein

 Play Caption

Once your rental application and credit report are approved, the next step is for you to sign a rental contract (der Mietvertrag).

Muss man denn Kaution bezahlen?

So do you have to pay a deposit?

Caption 20, Nicos Weg: Auf Wohnungssuche

 Play Caption

The answer to that question is unfortunately "yes." In most cases, you will be required to pay a rental deposit (die Mietkaution), either directly to the landlord or into a shared escrow account. The amount is usually the equivalent of two or three months' rent.

Ich habe Ihnen den Schlüssel im Vertrauen gegeben.

I gave you the key in confidence.

Caption 47, Lerchenberg: Sascha hautnah

 Play Caption

Once you have signed the contract, it is normal for the landlord to hand over the keys to the apartment. German even has a specific noun for the handover of the keys: die Schlüsselübergabe.

Wie ist denn deine neue Wohnung?

What is your new apartment like then?

Caption 5, Lilly unter den Linden: Umzug in die DDR

 Play Caption

It's really nice, hopefully! Herzliche Glückwünsche on getting your first apartment in Germany! In an upcoming lesson early next year we'll discuss the less-expensive option of moving into a Wohngemeinschaft, called WG for short. Do you already know what that is?

Further Learning
Go to Yabla German and watch the full Auf Wohnungssuche videos from the Mein Weg nach Deutchland, Nicos Weg,  and Fine series.

In German, the nouns die Lage and die Stelle each have a few different meanings. First of all, die Lage can quite literally mean "the location," and die Stelle can be translated as "the position":

banner PLACEHOLDER

Sehr ruhige Lage, Bauernhöfe in der Nähe...

Very quiet location, farms nearby...

Caption 13, Nicos Weg: Auf Wohnungssuche

 Play Caption

Durch die Lage ist es häufig warm, und Weinreben können gut gedeihen, besonders am Kaiserstuhl.

Due to the location it is often warm and vines can thrive, especially in the Kaiserstuhl.

Caption 24, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Baden-Württemberg

 Play Caption

Als er sich umsah, merkte er allerdings, dass er an einer völlig unerwarteten Stelle gelandet war.

When he looked around, however, he noticed that he had landed in a completely unexpected place.

Captions 30-31, Die Raumsonde: Rosetta Kometenlandung

 Play Caption

Die Lage can also mean "the situation," or "how things stand."

Die Lage wird langsam hoffnungslos.

The situation is slowly becoming hopeless.

Caption 39, Es war einmal... der Mensch: Der Neandertaler

 Play Caption

Ich bin Alina und heute berichte ich über die Corona-Lage in Frankreich.

I'm Alina, and today I'm going to report on the coronavirus situation in France.

Caption 3, Langsam gesprochene Nachrichten: Corona im Nachbarland Frankreich

 Play Caption

The common construction in der Lage sein means to be in a position where something is possible, or simply "to be able to"/"can." 

Angenommen, unser Budget lässt es zu, sollten wir am Ende der Woche in der Lage sein, Ihnen die unterzeichneten Verträge zukommen zu lassen.

Assuming that our budget allows it, we should be in the position by the end of the week to send you the signed contracts.

Captions 56-58, Berufsleben: Probleme mit Mitarbeitern

 Play Caption

Seelöwen sind nämlich in der Lage, im Wasser zu schlafen.

Because sea lions are able to sleep in the water.

Captions 70-71, Evolution: Die Küsten

 Play Caption

The noun die Stelle also has the very common meaning of "the position," as in "the job."

Eine Frau, die ein zweijähriges Kind hat, bewirbt sich in Deutschland um eine Stelle.

A woman who has a two-year-old child applies for a job in Germany.

Caption 37, Bundesrepublik Deutschland: Einbürgerungstest

 Play Caption

With die Stelle, there are two common phrases to know. While an dieser Stelle is quite easily translated as "at this point," an deiner/Ihrer/ihrer/seiner Stelle is used to reflect on someone else's position and subsequent actions. It is perhaps not so different from "If I were you..." in English.

Und das hätte ich an deiner Stelle auch gesagt.

And I would've said that too in your position.

Caption 33, AnnenMayKantereit: Es geht mir gut

 Play Caption

And finally, when something occurs auf der Stelle, this means that it happens "immediately" or "then and there."

Auf der Stelle fielen die Besenstiele zu Boden und die Teppiche gehorchten.

Immediately, the broomsticks fell to the floor and the rugs obeyed.

Caption 76, Märchen: Sagenhaft Der Zauberlehrling

 Play Caption

Further Learning
There are many examples of die Lage and die Stelle in use on Yabla German, just do a quick search!