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Ελληνικά📚 Glossary — 220 German official terms explained
220 German official terms — simply explained
14 terms found
Kaltmiete (net rent)
Net rent without additional costs (heating, water, waste) — total rent including additional costs is called gross rent.
The net rent is 700 €, with additional costs I pay 950 € gross rent.
Housing
Kaution (Deposit)
Rental deposit — security payment of up to 3 months' net rent, deposited upon move-in.
The deposit is held in a separate account and returned upon move-out.
Housing
Kindergarten (Kita) (kindergarten)
Childcare facility for children aged 1–6 years — legal right to a place from age 1, costs vary by state.
In Berlin, kindergarten has been free since 2018.
Daily life
Kindergeld (Child benefit)
Monthly government child allowance — €250 since 2023, apply at the family fund office.
Child allowance is paid until age 18, or until age 25 if in training.
Finance
Kinderzuschlag (Child supplement)
Additional benefit for low-income families — up to €250 per child per month.
The child allowance supplement is paid together with child allowance by the family fund office.
Finance
Kirchensteuer (Church tax)
Tax for church members — 8 or 9% of income tax, withheld by employer.
If you leave the church, you no longer have to pay church tax.
Finance
Kontopfändung (account garnishment)
Enforcement on a bank account — creditors can access account balance with a garnishment order.
A P-account protects a basic exemption amount in case of account garnishment.
Finance
Krankengeld (sick pay)
Benefit from the health insurance fund for prolonged illness — from the 7th week (after continued wage payment), approximately 70% of gross salary.
After 6 weeks of continued wage payment, I receive sickness benefit from the health insurance fund.
Health
Krankenkasse (health insurance fund)
Provider of statutory health insurance (e.g., AOK, TK, Barmer). Reimburses doctor visits, medications, hospital stays.
I switched my health insurance fund because TK offers better additional benefits.
Health
Krankenversicherung (health insurance)
Compulsory health insurance in Germany — statutory (GKV) or private (PKV). Without health insurance, you are not insured.
In Germany, health insurance is mandatory — everyone must be insured.
Health
Kurzarbeit (short-time work)
Reduction of working hours due to economic difficulties — short-time working allowance compensates part of lost earnings (60–67 %).
During the pandemic, millions of employees were on short-time work.
Work
Kündigung (termination)
Unilateral termination of a contractual relationship — in writing, observing the required notice periods.
The notice of termination must be in writing and signed personally.
Work
Kündigungsfrist (notice period)
Period between termination notice and actual end of employment — minimum 4 weeks by law.
My notice period is 3 months at the end of the quarter.
Work
Kündigungsschutz (dismissal protection)
Legal protection against unfair dismissal — applies in companies with more than 10 employees after 6 months of employment.
Thanks to protection against dismissal, my employer could not simply fire me.
Work