Glossary
The German words you'll meet when you move to Karlsruhe, explained in plain English.
A
- Abmeldungderegistration
- Deregistering your address when you leave Germany, so you stop owing the broadcasting fee and can claim back pension contributions later.
- Anmeldungaddress registration
- Registering your address with the city. You must do it within two weeks of moving into a flat in Karlsruhe, and it is free.
- Ausländerbehördeimmigration office
- The immigration office that handles residence permits and their extensions. In Karlsruhe it is in the same building as the main Bürgerbüro.
- Ausweisid
- Your personal identification (id).
B
- Bürgerbürocitizens' office
- The city office where you register your address in Karlsruhe. You need an appointment, and you can use any Bürgerbüro in the city.
D
- DeutschlandticketGermany ticket
- A monthly public transport ticket. It covers all KVV trams and buses in Karlsruhe.
E
- Expressbereichexpress desk
- An area in the main Bürgerbüro building where some quick matters are handled without an appointment. Check the city's list before relying on it.
F
- Fächerstadtfan city
- Karlsruhe's nickname: 32 streets radiate from the palace tower like the ribs of a fan. The city was founded in 1715.
K
- Kaltmietecold rent
- The rent alone, without heating, water and building costs. The rent check on this site shows typical Kaltmiete per m².
- Krankenkassepublic health insurer
- A public health insurance fund. Public insurance is income-based and covers spouses and children; employees are enrolled through payroll.
- KVVKarlsruhe transport network
- Karlsruhe's public transport network. Its trams run through the tunnel under Kaiserstraße, and tram-trains go out to the Black Forest and the Palatinate.
M
- Meldebestätigungregistration certificate
- The certificate you get after registering your address. Banks and employers will ask for it, so keep the original safe and make copies.
- Meldescheinregistration form
- The registration form you fill in and sign for every person moving in, and bring to your Anmeldung appointment.
- Mietspiegelrent index
- The city's official overview of typical rents for existing contracts. It is usually well below what new listings ask.
N
- Nebenkostenadditional costs
- Costs on top of the cold rent, such as heating, water and building costs. Kaltmiete plus Nebenkosten is the Warmmiete.
S
- Steuer-IDtax ID
- Your personal German tax identification number. It comes by post a few weeks after your first Anmeldung, and your employer needs it.
U
- Ummeldungchange of address
- Registering a move to a new address within the same city. The rules are the same as for the Anmeldung: two weeks, landlord form, online or in person.
V
- Vollmachtpower of attorney
- A signed power of attorney. You need one if you register someone else's address for them at the Bürgerbüro.
W
- Warmmietewarm rent
- The Kaltmiete plus Nebenkosten such as heating, water and building costs. Listings usually quote both; budget for the warm figure.
- WGshared flat
- A shared flat where each person rents a room. WG-Gesucht is the usual site for finding one in Karlsruhe.
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigunglandlord confirmation
- A one-page form your landlord signs to confirm you moved in. You can't register your address without it.