En 15 secondes
- Used for ending formal contracts like jobs, flats, or subscriptions.
- Requires a formal process and often a written letter in Germany.
- Can mean 'to quit' or 'to fire' depending on the context.
Signification
Think of this as the official 'break-up' button for any formal agreement. You use it when you're leaving a job, canceling a gym membership, or ending a rental contract.
Exemples clés
3 sur 7Quitting a job
Ich habe heute meinen Job gekündigt.
I quit my job today.
Canceling a gym membership
Ich muss meine Mitgliedschaft im Fitnessstudio kündigen.
I have to cancel my gym membership.
A boss firing an employee
Der Chef hat dem unpünktlichen Mitarbeiter gekündigt.
The boss fired the unpunctual employee.
Contexte culturel
In Germany, contracts are king, and 'kündigen' is the only way to legally escape them. Most contracts automatically renew unless you send a formal notice. This has led to a culture of 'Kündigungs-Kalender' where people track exactly when they need to quit their phone plans or gym memberships to avoid extra fees.
The 'Written Form' Rule
In Germany, an email often isn't enough to 'kündigen'. Many old-school contracts require a 'Schriftform'—a physical letter with a real signature sent via registered mail (Einschreiben).
Kündigen vs. Aufhören
Don't say 'Ich kündige das Rauchen' unless you have a legal contract with your cigarettes. Use 'aufhören' for habits.
En 15 secondes
- Used for ending formal contracts like jobs, flats, or subscriptions.
- Requires a formal process and often a written letter in Germany.
- Can mean 'to quit' or 'to fire' depending on the context.
What It Means
Kündigen is the heavy-hitter verb for ending contracts. It covers everything from quitting your 9-to-5 to telling your internet provider it’s over. It’s not just about walking away. It’s the formal act of saying, "I'm out."
How To Use It
You can use it two ways. First, you can quit something yourself: Ich kündige meinen Job. Second, an employer can use it to let someone go: Die Firma kündigt dem Mitarbeiter. Note the grammar shift there! When you quit, you use the accusative. When someone is fired, the person being fired is often in the dative case. It’s a bit tricky but very important.
When To Use It
Use it for anything involving a signature. Quitting your job? Use kündigen. Ending your Netflix subscription? Kündigen. Moving out of your flat? Kündigen. It’s the standard word for professional and legal exits. It sounds decisive and clear.
When NOT To Use It
Don’t use it for habits or games. If you want to stop smoking, use aufhören. If you’re quitting a video game because you’re frustrated, use aufgeben or aufhören. Using kündigen for a cigarette sounds like you’re sending your lungs a formal legal notice. It’s a bit too much drama for a Tuesday afternoon!
Cultural Background
Germany is the land of contracts and paperwork. You can’t just stop paying for things. You usually need a written letter called a Kündigungsschreiben. There are strict notice periods called Kündigungsfristen. If you don't send that letter three months early, you might be stuck for another year. It’s a bureaucratic rite of passage.
Common Variations
You’ll often hear fristgerecht kündigen. This means quitting exactly when the contract allows. If you leave instantly because of a major problem, it’s fristlos kündigen. That one is usually reserved for big workplace scandals or serious contract breaches. It's the 'nuclear option' of quitting.
Notes d'usage
The verb is very versatile but strictly tied to formal agreements. Remember that 'jemandem kündigen' (dative) means to fire someone, while 'etwas kündigen' (accusative) means to quit something.
The 'Written Form' Rule
In Germany, an email often isn't enough to 'kündigen'. Many old-school contracts require a 'Schriftform'—a physical letter with a real signature sent via registered mail (Einschreiben).
Kündigen vs. Aufhören
Don't say 'Ich kündige das Rauchen' unless you have a legal contract with your cigarettes. Use 'aufhören' for habits.
The Power Move
If you want to sound very professional when quitting, say: 'Ich kündige hiermit fristgerecht zum...' (I hereby resign with due notice as of...).
Exemples
7Ich habe heute meinen Job gekündigt.
I quit my job today.
A standard way to announce a career change.
Ich muss meine Mitgliedschaft im Fitnessstudio kündigen.
I have to cancel my gym membership.
Very common scenario in German life.
Der Chef hat dem unpünktlichen Mitarbeiter gekündigt.
The boss fired the unpunctual employee.
Notice the use of dative 'dem Mitarbeiter'.
Mein Internet ist so langsam, ich kündige morgen!
My internet is so slow, I'm canceling tomorrow!
Short and punchy for a text message.
Wenn du meine Serie spoilerst, kündige ich unsere Freundschaft!
If you spoil my series, I'm ending our friendship!
Using a formal word for a personal relationship adds comedic effect.
Wir haben die Wohnung zum Ende des Jahres gekündigt.
We have terminated the lease for the apartment for the end of the year.
Crucial for moving house in Germany.
Es reicht mir, ich kündige!
I've had enough, I quit!
Short, dramatic, and very clear.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form to say you are quitting your job.
Ich möchte meinen Vertrag ___.
Contracts (Verträge) are always 'gekündigt' when you want to end them permanently.
How do you say the boss fired him?
Der Chef hat ___ gekündigt.
When 'kündigen' means to fire someone, the person being fired is in the dative case (ihm).
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Ways to Say 'I'm Done'
Stopping a game or habit
aufhören
Standard for jobs/contracts
kündigen
Legal contract dissolution
den Vertrag auflösen
When to reach for 'Kündigen'
At the Office
Leaving your job
At Home
Ending a rental lease
On your Phone
Canceling Netflix
At the Gym
Stopping a membership
Banque d exercices
2 exercicesIch möchte meinen Vertrag ___.
Contracts (Verträge) are always 'gekündigt' when you want to end them permanently.
Der Chef hat ___ gekündigt.
When 'kündigen' means to fire someone, the person being fired is in the dative case (ihm).
🎉 Score : /2
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it applies to any contract. You can kündigen your apartment, your insurance, or even a newspaper subscription.
Only as a joke. If you tell a partner Ich kündige unsere Beziehung, it sounds like you're treating the love of your life like a mobile phone provider.
It's the notice period. In Germany, it's often 3 months, meaning you must say you're quitting 3 months before you actually leave.
It is neutral. It is the correct word to use in both casual conversation and official letters.
You can say Mir wurde gekündigt. This uses the passive voice and the dative mir.
Abmelden is for signing out or deregistering (like at the city hall), while kündigen is for ending a legal agreement.
No, use mit etwas aufhören for habits like smoking or biting your nails.
It means to terminate a contract immediately without a notice period, usually due to a serious violation.
Yes, die Kündigung. You might say Ich habe meine Kündigung eingereicht (I submitted my resignation).
Usually not for a standard job resignation, but for a 'fristlose Kündigung' (immediate), a valid reason is legally required.
Expressions liées
aufhören
entlassen
den Vertrag auflösen
die Kündigungsfrist
das Kündigungsschreiben
