German · Brief vom Amt
You show a letter from an office and ask for an explanation: what to say in German
You show a letter from an authority and ask for an explanation.
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How it's done. A Bescheid is an official decision of an authority; it states the Frist (deadline) and the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung (how to appeal, usually within a month). The deadline counts from the day of receipt.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
YOU START
Guten Tag, ich habe diesen Brief bekommen. Was bedeutet das?
GOO-tayn tahk, eekh KHAH-beh DEE-zayn breef beh-KOH-mayn. Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
Good day, I received this letter. What does it mean?
Or say:Guten Tag, können Sie mir diesen Brief bitte erklären?
GOO-tayn tahk, KYOH-nayn zee meer DEE-zayn breef BEE-teh ehr-KLEH-rayn?
THEY SAY
Das ist ein Bescheid. Hier steht, was Sie tun müssen.Dahs eest ighn beh-SHIGHT. Kheer shtet, vahs zee toon MYOO-sayn.
That's an official decision. It says here what you have to do.
They might also say:
Das ist ein Bescheid vom Amt. Darin steht, was jetzt passiert.
Dahs eest ighn beh-SHIGHT fom ahmt. Duh-REEN shtet, vahs yehtst puh-SEERT.
That is an official decision from the office. It states what happens now.
2
YOU REPLY
Gibt es eine Frist?
Geept es IGH-neh freest?
Is there a deadline?
THEY SAY
Ja, Sie haben einen Monat Zeit für einen Widerspruch.Yah, zee KHAH-bayn IGH-nayn MOH-nuht tsight fyoor IGH-nayn VEE-dehrsh-prookh.
Yes, you have one month for an objection.
3
YOU FINISH
Danke. Wo kann ich Hilfe bekommen?
DAHN-keh. Voh kahn eekh KHEEL-feh beh-KOH-mayn?
Thank you. Where can I get help?
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
Guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
habe
KHAH-beh
verb
I have
Brief
breef
noun
letter
bekommen
beh-KOH-mayn
verb
to get, to receive
bedeutet
beh-DOY-tet
verb
means
27 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?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
The office asks you to bring more documents laterBrief vom Amt · A2 in the app
→You phone an office about a letter and they ask for your case numberBrief vom Amt · A2 in the app
→At the immigration office they take your biometric photo and fingerprintsAusländerbehörde · A2 in the app
→You have started a mini-job and report it to the JobcenterJobcenter / Arbeitsagentur · A2 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report