German · Strom / Internet
You phone the utility company to set up electricity in the new flat: what to say in German
You phone the utility company to sign up for electricity in your new flat.
💡
How it's done. You sign up for electricity with the supplier (Stadtwerke) for the address: you need the meter number (Zählernummer) and its reading (Zählerstand); you pay in advance every month (Abschlag).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
Stadtwerke, guten Tag.SHTAH-tvehr-keh, GOO-tayn tahk.
Stadtwerke, good day.
They might also say:
Guten Tag, Stadtwerke. Was kann ich für Sie tun?
GOO-tayn tahk, SHTAH-tvehr-keh. Vahs kahn eekh fyoor zee toon?
Good day, Stadtwerke. What can I do for you?
YOU REPLY
Guten Tag. Ich bin neu in einer Wohnung und möchte Strom anmelden.
GOO-tayn tahk. Eekh been noy een IGH-nuh VOH-noong oont MYOKH-teh shtrom AHN-mel-dayn.
Good day. I'm new in a flat and would like to sign up for electricity.
THEY SAY
Gern. Wie lautet Ihre Adresse? Und haben Sie die Zählernummer?Gehrn. Vee LOW-tet EE-reh uh-DREH-seh? Oont KHAH-bayn zee dee TSEH-lehr-noo-muh?
Gladly. What is your address? And do you have the meter number?
They might also say:
Wie ist Ihre neue Adresse, und können Sie mir die Zählernummer sagen?
Vee eest EE-reh NOY-eh uh-DREH-seh, oont KYOH-nayn zee meer dee TSEH-lehr-noo-muh ZAH-gayn?
What is your new address, and can you tell me the meter number?
2
YOU REPLY
Die Adresse ist Lindenstraße, Hausnummer fünf. Den Zählerstand habe ich aufgeschrieben.
Dee uh-DREH-seh eest LEEN-dayns-truh-seh, KHOWS-noo-muh fyoonf. Dayn TSEH-lehrs-tahnt KHAH-beh eekh OWF-gesh-ree-bayn.
The address is Lindenstraße, house number five. I've written down the meter reading.
THEY SAY
Perfekt. Sie bekommen in einer Woche eine Bestätigung und die Abschläge.Pehr-FEKT. Zee beh-KOH-mayn een IGH-nuh VOH-kheh IGH-neh besh-TEH-tee-goong oont dee AHPSH-leh-geh.
Perfect. In a week you'll receive a confirmation and the advance payments.
3
YOU REPLY
Was sind Abschläge?
Vahs zeent AHPSH-leh-geh?
What are advance payments?
THEY SAY
Das sind monatliche Vorauszahlungen für den Strom.Dahs zeent MOH-nuh-tlee-kheh foh-ROWS-tsuh-loon-gayn fyoor dayn shtrom.
They are monthly advance payments for electricity.
4
YOU FINISH
Verstehe, vielen Dank!
Fehrsh-TEH-eh, FEE-layn dahnk!
I see, thank you very much!
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
Stadtwerke
SHTAH-tvehr-keh
noun
municipal utilities
guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
bin
been
verb
I am
neu
noy
adjective
new
Wohnung
VOH-noong
noun
flat
39 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 order internet for the flat and ask about the contract termsStrom / Internet · A2 in the app
→A worker comes to read the water and heating metersStrom / Internet · A1 in the app
→Water is leaking from the kitchen ceiling and you phone the building managementHausmeister / Reparatur · A2 in the app
→The smoke detector in the flat is beeping and you ask who will fix itHausmeister / Reparatur · 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