German · Schlüsseldienst
The key to the building has gone missing and you tell your landlord: what to say in German
You tell your landlord that you have lost the house key.
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How it's done. A lost house key (Schließanlage) must be reported to your landlord at once: replacement is expensive and if a stranger has found the key the whole lock may have to be changed; check your liability insurance (Haftpflicht).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 den Hausschlüssel verloren. Was muss ich tun?
GOO-tayn tahk. Eekh KHAH-beh dayn KHOWSSH-lyoo-sel fehr-LOH-rayn. Vahs moos eekh toon?
Good day. I've lost the house key. What do I have to do?
Or say:Mein Schlüssel für die Haustür ist weg. Wer kann mir helfen?
Mighn SHLYOO-sel fyoor dee KHOWS-tyoor eest vek. Vehr kahn meer KHEL-fayn?
THEY SAY
Das ist ärgerlich. Der Schlüssel gehört zur Schließanlage. Ich muss einen neuen bestellen.Dahs eest EHR-gehr-leekh. Dehr SHLYOO-sel geh-KHYORT tsoor SHLEE-sahn-luh-geh. Eekh moos IGH-nayn NOY-ayn besh-TEH-layn.
That is annoying. The key belongs to the locking system. I have to order a new one.
They might also say:
Ein Ersatzschlüssel kostet Geld, denn er gehört zur Schließanlage.
Ighn ehr-ZAHTSSH-lyoo-sel KOS-tet gelt, dayn ehr geh-KHYORT tsoor SHLEE-sahn-luh-geh.
A replacement key costs money because it belongs to the locking system.
2
YOU REPLY
Was kostet der Ersatzschlüssel?
Vahs KOS-tet dehr ehr-ZAHTSSH-lyoo-sel?
What does the replacement key cost?
THEY SAY
Etwa fünfzig Euro. Wenn ein Fremder den Schlüssel findet, müssen wir vielleicht das Schloss tauschen.EH-tvuh FYOONF-tseekh OY-roh. Vayn ighn FREM-duh dayn SHLYOO-sel FEEN-det, MYOO-sayn veer fee-LIGHKHT dahs shlos TOW-shayn.
About fifty euros. If a stranger finds the key we may have to change the lock.
3
YOU REPLY
Ich suche noch einmal zu Hause. Wenn ich ihn nicht finde, melde ich mich wieder.
Eekh ZOO-kheh nokh IGHN-muhl tsoo KHOW-zeh. Vayn eekh een neekht FEEN-deh, MEL-deh eekh meekh VEE-duh.
I'll look at home once more. If I don't find it I'll get in touch again.
THEY SAY
Gut. Melden Sie sich bitte bald.Goot. MEL-dayn zee zeekh BEE-teh bahlt.
Good. Please get in touch soon.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke für die Information!
DAHN-keh fyoor dee een-for-muh-tsee-OHN!
Thanks for the information!
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
Hausschlüssel
KHOWSSH-lyoo-sel
noun
house key
verloren
fehr-LOH-rayn
verb
lost
muss
moos
verb
must, has to
50 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?
Similar situations
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→The heel has come off your shoe and you go to the cobblerSchneider / Schuster · A2 in the app
→You go to a self-service laundrette for the first timeReinigung · A2 in the app
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