German · Wohnungssuche
You check the rent and the extra charges: what to say in German
You clarify the rent and additional charges.
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How it's done. Wie hoch ist die Kaltmiete? and Was sind die Nebenkosten? are the main two questions; Warmmiete is what you pay each month.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
Wie hoch ist die Kaltmiete?
Vee khokh eest dee KAHLT-mee-teh?
How high is the cold rent?
Or say:Was kostet die Wohnung ohne Nebenkosten?
Vahs KOS-tet dee VOH-noong OH-neh NEH-bayn-kos-tayn?
THEY SAY
Die Kaltmiete beträgt sechshundert Euro.Dee KAHLT-mee-teh beh-TREKT ZEKS-khoon-dehrt OY-roh.
The cold rent is six hundred euros.
They might also say:
Sechshundert Euro kalt.
ZEKS-khoon-dehrt OY-roh kahlt.
Six hundred euros cold.
2
YOU REPLY
Und wie hoch sind die Nebenkosten?
Oont vee khokh zeent dee NEH-bayn-kos-tayn?
And how high are the additional charges?
THEY SAY
Die Nebenkosten betragen hundertfünfzig Euro. Das ist die Vorauszahlung.Dee NEH-bayn-kos-tayn beh-TRAH-gayn KHOON-dehrt-fyoonf-tseekh OY-roh. Dahs eest dee foh-ROWS-tsuh-loong.
The additional charges are one hundred and fifty euros. That is the advance payment.
3
YOU FINISH
Das macht dann siebenhundertfünfzig Euro warm, richtig?
Dahs mahkht dahn ZEE-bayn-khoon-dehrt-fyoonf-tseekh OY-roh vahrm, REEKH-teekh?
That makes seven hundred and fifty euros warm, correct?
THEY SAY
Genau, das ist die Warmmiete.Geh-NOW, dahs eest dee VAHR-mee-teh.
Exactly, that is the warm rent.
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
Wie
Vee
adverb
how
hoch
khokh
adjective
high
ist
eest
verb
is
Kaltmiete
KAHLT-mee-teh
noun
base rent
beträgt
beh-TREKT
verb
amounts to
Euro
OY-roh
noun
euro
16 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?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
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