German · Gehalt / Abrechnung
You ask about the payslip: what to say in German
You ask about the payslip.
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How it's done. Brutto is before tax, Netto take-home; the slip has Lohnsteuer (income tax) and Sozialversicherung (social insurance).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
Entschuldigung, ich habe eine Frage zu meiner Abrechnung.
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, eekh KHAH-beh IGH-neh FRAH-geh tsoo MIGH-nuh AH-brekh-noong.
Excuse me, I have a question about my payslip.
Or say:Entschuldigung, können Sie mir die Gehaltsabrechnung erklären?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, KYOH-nayn zee meer dee geh-KHAHLT-suh-brekh-noong ehr-KLEH-rayn?
THEY SAY
Ja, natürlich. Was möchten Sie wissen?Yah, nuh-TYOOR-leekh. Vahs MYOKH-tayn zee VEE-sayn?
Yes, of course. What would you like to know?
They might also say:
Gern. Welcher Punkt ist unklar?
Gehrn. VEL-khuh poonkt eest OON-kluhr?
Gladly. Which point is unclear?
2
YOU REPLY
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Brutto und Netto?
Vahs eest dehr OON-tehr-sheet TSVEE-shayn BROO-toh oont NEH-toh?
What is the difference between gross and net?
THEY SAY
Brutto ist der Betrag vor Abzügen. Netto ist das, was Sie bekommen.BROO-toh eest dehr beh-TRAHK for AHP-tsyoo-gayn. NEH-toh eest dahs, vahs zee beh-KOH-mayn.
Gross is the amount before deductions. Net is what you get.
3
YOU FINISH
Ach so, jetzt ist es klar. Danke!
Ahkh zoh, yehtst eest es klahr. DAHN-keh!
I see, now it's clear. Thanks!
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
habe
KHAH-beh
verb
I have
Frage
FRAH-geh
noun
question
Abrechnung
AH-brekh-noong
noun
statement, settlement
Ja
Yah
adverb
yes
natürlich
nuh-TYOOR-leekh
adverb
of course
möchten
MYOKH-tayn
verb
would like
26 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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