Getting through the Ausländerbehörde: Explaining why you're here and showing your passport
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Key Phrases
Ich möchte eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis beantragen.
I would like to apply for a residence permit.
Darf ich bitte Ihren Pass und den Vertrag sehen?
May I see your passport and the contract, please?
Sie bekommen einen Brief von uns.
You will get a letter from us.
Skills You'll Learn
Describing an appointment and explaining the purpose of a visit
Einen Termin beschreiben und den Zweck eines Besuchs erklären
Naming and presenting personal documents
Persönliche Dokumente benennen und vorzeigen
Asking about next steps and understanding the response
Nach dem weiteren Ablauf fragen und eine Antwort verstehen
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you're at the immigration office in Germany for your ten o'clock appointment. You want to apply for a residence permit because you work here.
Guten Tag. Ich habe um zehn Uhr einen Termin.
Good morning. I have an appointment at ten.
Guten Tag. Bitte setzen Sie sich. Worum geht es?
Good morning. Please have a seat. What is it about?
Ich möchte eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis beantragen.
I would like to apply for a residence permit.
Gut. Warum sind Sie in Deutschland?
All right. Why are you in Germany?
Ich arbeite hier. Ich habe einen Arbeitsvertrag.
I work here. I have an employment contract.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
Um zehn Uhr
oom tsayn oor
At ten o'clock
💬 Clock times always take um: um drei Uhr "at three o'clock". Days take am instead: am Montag "on Monday".
See breakdown →Einen Termin
EYE-nen ter-MEEN
An appointment
💬 ein becomes einen when a masculine word like Termin is the thing you have, want or need. Same with ich brauche einen Pass "I need a passport".
See breakdown →Ich habe um zehn Uhr einen Termin.
ikh HAH-beh oom tsayn oor EYE-nen ter-MEEN
I have an appointment at ten.
💬 The time comes before the thing you have: Ich habe morgen einen Termin "I have an appointment tomorrow". Putting einen Termin first sounds odd to Germans.
🇩🇪 At the Ausländerbehörde you almost always need a booked Termin. Lead with this at reception so they can find your name and send you to the right room.
See breakdown →Der Termin
dair ter-MEEN
The appointment
Bitte setzen Sie sich.
BIT-eh ZET-sen zee zikh
Please have a seat.
💬 Literally "please set yourself": setzen needs sich "yourself" when you're the one sitting down. Talking about yourself, it's ich setze mich "I sit down".
See breakdown →Worum geht es?
vo-ROOM gayt es
What is it about?
💬 Answer with the same pattern: Es geht um meine Aufenthaltserlaubnis "It's about my residence permit". um plus the topic is all you need.
See breakdown →Ich möchte
ikh MURKHT-uh
I would like
Eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis
EYE-nuh OWF-ent-halts-er-lowp-nis
A residence permit
💬 This long word is Aufenthalt "stay" plus Erlaubnis "permission", joined by an extra s. Long German words usually take der, die or das from their last part, so this one takes die like Erlaubnis.
See breakdown →Beantragen
beh-AN-trah-gen
To apply for
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