German · Brief vom Amt
You phone an office about a letter and they ask for your case number: what to say in German
You phone an office about a letter and they ask for the file number.
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How it's done. In a letter from an office look for the Aktenzeichen (file number) and the Frist (deadline); on the phone they ask for them first, so keep the letter at hand.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
Jobcenter, guten Tag. Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?DZHOB-sayn-tehr, GOO-tayn tahk. Vee kahn eekh EE-nayn KHEL-fayn?
Jobcenter, good day. How can I help you?
They might also say:
Guten Tag, Sie sprechen mit dem Jobcenter. Worum geht es?
GOO-tayn tahk, zee SHPREH-khayn meet dem DZHOB-sayn-tehr. Voh-ROOM get es?
Good day, you are speaking to the Jobcenter. What is it about?
YOU REPLY
Guten Tag. Ich habe einen Brief von Ihnen bekommen und habe eine Frage dazu.
GOO-tayn tahk. Eekh KHAH-beh IGH-nayn breef fohn EE-nayn beh-KOH-mayn oont KHAH-beh IGH-neh FRAH-geh duh-TSOO.
Good day. I received a letter from you and have a question about it.
THEY SAY
Wie lautet Ihr Aktenzeichen? Das steht oben im Brief.Vee LOW-tet eer AHK-tayn-tsigh-khayn? Dahs shtet OH-bayn eem breef.
What is your file number? It is at the top of the letter.
They might also say:
Nennen Sie mir bitte das Aktenzeichen aus dem Brief.
NEH-nayn zee meer BEE-teh dahs AHK-tayn-tsigh-khayn ows dem breef.
Please give me the file number from the letter.
2
YOU REPLY
Einen Moment, ich suche es. Darf ich es Ihnen langsam vorlesen?
IGH-nayn moh-MAYNT, eekh ZOO-kheh es. Dahrf eekh es EE-nayn LAHNG-zuhm FOR-leh-zayn?
One moment, I'm looking for it. May I read it to you slowly?
THEY SAY
Ja, bitte, langsam.Yah, BEE-teh, LAHNG-zuhm.
Yes, please, slowly.
3
YOU REPLY
Im Brief steht, dass ich Unterlagen schicken muss. Bis wann ist das?
Eem breef shtet, dahs eekh OON-tehr-luh-gayn SHEE-kayn moos. Bees vahn eest dahs?
The letter says that I have to send documents. By when is that?
THEY SAY
Bis zum Ende des Monats. Sie können sie per Post, online oder persönlich abgeben.Bees tsoom AYN-deh des MOH-nuhts. Zee KYOH-nayn zee pehr post, OHN-lighn OH-duh PEHR-zyohn-leekh AHB-geh-bayn.
By the end of the month. You can hand them in by post, online or in person.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke, das hilft mir sehr. Auf Wiederhören!
DAHN-keh, dahs kheelft meer zehr. Owf VEE-dehr-khyoh-rayn!
Thanks, that helps me a lot. Goodbye!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Jobcenter
DZHOB-sayn-tehr
noun
Jobcenter
guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
Wie
Vee
adverb
how
kann
kahn
verb
can
helfen
KHEL-fayn
verb
to help
51 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Können Sie das bitte aufschreiben?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh OWFSH-righ-bayn?
Can you write it down, please?
Similar situations
You show a letter from an office and ask for an explanationBrief vom Amt · A2 in the app
→The office asks you to bring more documents laterBrief vom Amt · A2 in the app
→You ask about the exam at the end of the integration courseBAMF / Integrationskurs · A2 in the app
→You go to the Bürgeramt to register your addressBürgeramt / Anmeldung · A2 in the app
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