German · BeginnerEine Wohnung suchenRenting an Apartment

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00:00Intro
Hello Mia! How are you doing today?
Hello Ryan! I am really very tired.
Why are you so tired today?
I read ads all night long.
Did you read an exciting book?
No. I have to look for an apartment.
Oh yes! I know that really very well.
The search is very stressful right now.
In a big German city, that is hard.
You need a lot of documents for it.
Yes. You need proof of income and ID.
And you also need the SCHUFA credit report.
That is really very important in Germany.
Today we learn important words for this.
We learn six very useful expressions.
Our first phrase is: looking for an apartment.
That means in English: looking for an apartment.
Are you also looking for an apartment right now?
No. I have an apartment right now.
But your search was very hard in the past.
Yes. Back then I searched for a very long time.
Did you visit many apartments?
Back then I saw ten apartments.
Were there many other applicants there?
Many people stood in front of the door.
That is completely normal in Munich.
But in the end I was very lucky.
Did you find a nice apartment?
Yes. But there was a big surprise.
What kind of surprise was there back then?
In a moment I will tell you more about it.
Tell me more about your first search.
I definitely wanted to look for an apartment.
Why did you want to move back then?
My old apartment was much too small.
Where did you look for ads?
I read many ads on the Internet.
Did you write emails to the landlord?
Yes. I wrote fifty emails.
Did you get many replies?
No. I only got five replies.
Unfortunately, that is a normal problem.
You have to be patient when searching.
You have to check new ads every day.
Exactly. And you have to reply quickly.
What information does the landlord want to have?
He often asks about the salary.
And he asks about the employment contract.
Without a job it is really very hard.
Students often need a guarantee.
That means the parents sign along.
Did you also need a guarantee?
No. I already had my job.
That makes the search a bit easier.
Still, you have to wait for a long time.
Sometimes you wait for many weeks.
Let us now come to the second phrase.
Which phrase is next on the list?
Our second phrase is: paying the rent.
That means in English: paying the rent.
Every month you have to pay the rent.
You transfer the money directly to the landlord.
Do you know the difference in rent?
You surely mean cold rent and warm rent?
Exactly. The cold rent is only for the rooms.
Added to that are the utility costs.
Heating, water, and garbage cost extra.
Together that is then the warm rent.
You must always pay the rent on time.
It is best to set up a standing order for that.
Then you never forget this important payment.
That is really a very good tip.
As a student, I had little money back then.
Was your first rent very high?
The cold rent was really very cheap.
But how high were the utility costs back then?
In the first winter, I heated a lot.
Did you have to pay a lot of money extra in the end?
Yes. I had to pay three hundred euros extra.
That was certainly a very big shock.
Since then I always pay close attention to utilities.
Every tenant should really do that.
When do you usually transfer the rent?
You usually pay on the first day of the month.
That is also written exactly like that in the contract.
If you do not pay, there is trouble.
Therefore, timely payment is very important.
You should transfer the money at the beginning.
Then you can sleep peacefully.
What percentage of your salary do you pay?
I pay approximately thirty percent.
That is a very good benchmark.
More than thirty percent is too expensive.
What is important to you when living?
I always wish for a quiet location.
That is our third phrase for today.
Our third phrase is: a quiet location.
That means in English: a quiet location.
I do not like noise from cars at all.
Would you prefer to live in the green?
Yes. I want to sleep very quietly at night.
A park nearby is very nice.
No loud streets and no parties.
I understand that really very well.
Where would you prefer to live, Ryan?
I prefer to live in a good location.
That is our fourth phrase for today.
Our fourth phrase is: in a good location.
That means in English: in a good location.
For me that means right in the city center.
Shops and cafes are then very close by.
And the subway is right in front of the door.
But there it is often very loud.
To be honest, that does not bother me at all.
I desperately need fresh air and trees.
I need restaurants. And a cinema close by.
So every person has different desires.
That also makes life interesting.
Some people love small villages.
Other people love the big city.
Both options have advantages.
You have to decide for yourself what you want.
Is your apartment also close to work?
Yes. I ride only ten minutes by bicycle.
That is really a big advantage.
I save a lot of time every day because of it.
Now we ask our dear listeners.
Are you Team Ryan or Team Mia?
Do you prefer a quiet location?
Or do you prefer to live in a good location?
Write us your answer in the comments!
We are already very excited about your opinion.
Which phrase comes next?
Our fifth phrase is: paying the deposit.
That means in English: paying the deposit.
Before moving in, you must deposit money.
The deposit is a security for the landlord.
Usually that is two or three cold rents.
That is often a lot of money at once.
When you move out, you get the money back.
But the apartment must be in good condition.
Now please tell your funny story!
Back then I visited a nice apartment.
Where exactly was this nice apartment located?
It was in the city in a good location.
Was the rent there not much too high?
No. The rent was really very cheap.
And how were the rooms in this apartment?
All rooms were very bright and huge.
That sounds absolutely like a dream apartment!
Then I went full of joy into the kitchen.
What did you see there in the kitchen?
There was absolutely nothing inside!
Nothing at all? Were there no kitchen cabinets?
No cabinets and also no stove!
Was there at least a small sink?
No. There were only empty white walls.
That is actually completely normal in Germany!
I was completely shocked and confused back then.
Many apartments have no fitted kitchen.
The tenant has to buy the kitchen himself.
And when moving, you take it with you again.
Back then I had to buy a new kitchen.
That certainly cost a lot of money.
Yes. But now I have my own kitchen.
Ask about the kitchen right away next time!
I guaranteed will never make this mistake again.
Now we come to our last phrase.
Which phrase is our sixth expression?
Our sixth phrase is: the move-in date.
That means in English: the move-in date.
That is the official day for the move.
On this day you get all keys.
Beforehand you sign the rental agreement.
On the move-in date you make a handover protocol.
Together you check all damages in the room.
You also write down all meter readings exactly.
Which move-in date suits you best?
The first day of the month is usually ideal.
Then you have enough time for the move.
You can carry all furniture on the weekend.
Friends often like to help with moving.
In the evening there is pizza for everyone.
That is a nice tradition in Germany.
And the next day you unpack boxes.
Then you quickly feel at home.
Let us repeat all six phrases once more.
That is a very good idea for learning.
First phrase: looking for an apartment.
Second phrase: paying the rent.
Third phrase: a quiet location.
Fourth phrase: in a good location.
Fifth phrase: paying the deposit.
Sixth phrase: the move-in date.
Now we do a small quiz.
Are you all ready for the questions?
Here comes question number one.
You are looking for a new apartment.
Which word do you use for that?
Do you use the phrase: looking for an apartment?
Yes. That is the correct answer.
Here comes the second question.
You have to transfer money every month.
What is this monthly payment called?
That is called: paying the rent.
Very good! Question number three.
You want no noise at night.
Are you looking for a quiet location then?
Yes! A quiet location is then perfect.
Here comes question number four.
You want to live close to shops.
Do you live in a good location then?
Right! That is then in a good location.
Now follows question number five.
The landlord wants a security.
Do you have to pay the deposit then?
Exactly. You must pay the deposit.
And here comes question number six.
From which day are you allowed to move in?
How do you call this special day?
That is the move-in date.
Wonderful! You solved all the questions.
That was another great episode today.
We learned a lot about apartments.
Do not forget to subscribe to our channel.
Feel free to give the video a thumbs up.
We will see each other again in the next episode.
Thank you very much for listening! Until next time!

Key phrases

6 to keep
eine Wohnung sucheneine Wohnung suchen
looking for an apartment
Seit Wochen müssen wir eine Wohnung suchen.For weeks we've had to look for an apartment.
die Miete bezahlendie Miete bezahlen
paying the rent
Jeden Ersten die Miete bezahlen nicht vergessen.Don't forget to pay the rent on the first of every month.
eine ruhige Lageeine ruhige Lage
a quiet location
Wir suchen eine ruhige Lage ohne Durchgangsverkehr.We're looking for a quiet location without through traffic.
in guter Lagein guter Lage
in a good location
Die Wohnung ist klein, aber in guter Lage.The apartment is small, but in a good location.
die Kaution bezahlendie Kaution bezahlen
paying the deposit
Vor der Schlüsselübergabe die Kaution bezahlen.Pay the deposit before the key handover.
der Einzugsterminder Einzugstermin
the move-in date
Der Einzugstermin ist der 1. Mai.The move-in date is May 1.

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Today's small task

Say “eine Wohnung suchen” out loud once today — in a real situation if you can.Say “eine Wohnung suchen” out loud once today — in a real situation if you can.

cocoaEine Wohnung suchen
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