Opening a German Bank Account — Essential Vocabulary
After this lesson you can give your personal details and understand what the clerk asks for.
Do this first: sein — to be
Übungen
Eight exercises on what you just watched. Get 80% and the lesson is marked done and added to your A1 progress.
1 / 8 · Type the missing word
2 / 8 · Word order
Put the words in the right order.
What is the monthly account fee?
3 / 8 · Word order
Put the words in the right order.
When do I get my card?
4 / 8 · Choose
What is das Girokonto?
5 / 8 · Choose
What does eröffnen mean?
6 / 8 · Choose
What is die Anmeldung?
7 / 8 · Choose
What is die Überweisung?
8 / 8 · Choose
What is der Ausweis?
In short
To open a German account you need three documents: your Ausweis or Reisepass (ID), your Anmeldung (proof of registered address) and usually your Steuer-ID (tax number). Ask for ein Girokonto — the everyday current account.
How it works
Opening an account is the exchange where German bureaucracy meets your beginner German, and it goes far better if you know the three words for the three documents. Almost every refusal at the counter is a missing Anmeldung, not a language problem.
The account you want is das Girokonto — the everyday current account you get a card for. Das Sparkonto is a savings account. Ask: Ich möchte ein Girokonto eröffnen. The card you are issued is usually a Girocard (still widely called EC-Karte), which is not a credit card and is not accepted everywhere abroad.
The clerk will ask for your details in a predictable order: name, date of birth, address, and Steuer-ID. Two banking words are worth knowing on sight because they appear on every form and transfer: die IBAN (your account number) and die Überweisung (a bank transfer, which is how Germans pay rent, invoices and each other).
| German | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| der Personalausweis / der Reisepass | ID card / passport | photo ID, always required |
| die Anmeldung / die Meldebescheinigung | proof of registered address | the usual blocker |
| die Steuer-ID | tax identification number | arrives by post after Anmeldung |
| der Arbeitsvertrag | employment contract | sometimes asked for |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich möchte ein Girokonto eröffnen. | I'd like to open a current account. |
| Ich habe einen Termin. | I have an appointment. |
| Hier ist mein Ausweis. | Here is my ID. |
| Wie lange dauert das? | How long does it take? |
| Was kostet die Kontoführung? | What are the account fees? |
| Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Konto | account |
| das Girokonto | current account |
| die IBAN | account number |
| die Überweisung | bank transfer |
| der Dauerauftrag | standing order |
| die Lastschrift | direct debit |
| die Girocard / EC-Karte | German debit card |
| der Kontoauszug | bank statement |
Examples
- Guten Tag, ich möchte ein Girokonto eröffnen.Hello, I'd like to open a current account.
- Ich habe einen Termin um zehn Uhr.I have an appointment at ten.
- Hier ist mein Reisepass und meine Anmeldung.Here is my passport and my registration.
- Ich wohne seit einem Monat in Berlin.I've lived in Berlin for a month.
- Meine Steuer-ID habe ich leider noch nicht.Unfortunately I don't have my tax ID yet.
- Was kostet die Kontoführung im Monat?What is the monthly account fee?
- Wann bekomme ich meine Karte?When do I get my card?
- Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?Could you repeat that, please?
- Ich verstehe das nicht ganz.I don't quite understand that.
- Die Miete zahle ich per Überweisung.I pay the rent by bank transfer.
Mistakes to avoid
✗ Turning up without the Anmeldung
✓ Registering your address first
Almost no bank will open an account without proof of a registered German address. The Anmeldung comes before the bank, not after.
✗ Assuming the EC-Karte is a credit card
✓ Knowing it is a debit card
The Girocard debits immediately and is often not accepted outside Germany or online. Many people keep a separate Kreditkarte for that.
✗ Ich will ein Konto machen.
✓ Ich möchte ein Konto eröffnen.
The verb is eröffnen — to open. And möchte rather than will, since this is a counter, not a demand.
✗ Nodding along when you have not understood
✓ Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
You are signing a contract. Asking someone to repeat or slow down is completely normal and far better than guessing.
Wortschatz
The words from this lesson.
| das Konto | account | plural: die Konten |
| eröffnen | to open (an account) | |
| der Ausweis | ID card | |
| die Anmeldung | address registration | |
| die Steuer-ID | tax identification number | |
| die Überweisung | bank transfer | |
| die Miete | rent | |
| der Termin | appointment | |
| die Gebühr | fee | |
| unterschreiben | to sign |
Kulturnotiz
Die Anmeldung is the hinge of German life: you register your address at the Bürgeramt within two weeks of moving in, and until you have that slip of paper you cannot easily open a bank account, get a phone contract, or start a job. It also triggers your Steuer-ID, which arrives by post a couple of weeks later. Everything else waits on it — so book the Bürgeramt appointment before anything else.
Common questions
+What documents do I need to open an account?
Photo ID (Personalausweis or Reisepass), your Anmeldung proving a registered German address, and usually your Steuer-ID. Some banks also ask for an employment contract.
+What is the difference between a Girokonto and a Sparkonto?
A Girokonto is the everyday current account you receive a card for and pay bills from. A Sparkonto is for savings and does not come with day-to-day payment functions.
+Is the EC-Karte a credit card?
No. The Girocard (still commonly called EC-Karte) is a debit card that takes money immediately. It is widely accepted inside Germany but often not abroad or online.
+What is an Überweisung?
A bank transfer — the standard way Germans pay rent, invoices and each other. You need the recipient's IBAN. A recurring one is a Dauerauftrag.