When you want to stop a contract, a job, or a subscription in German, you use the verb kündigen. It's a very practical word to know. For example, if you want to end your phone contract, you would say 'Ich möchte meinen Vertrag kündigen.' You can also use it when you quit a job, like 'Ich kündige meinen Job.' Remember, it means to formally end something, often with a period of notice.
When you want to end a contract, a subscription, or even a job, the German verb kündigen is what you need. It's a versatile verb that literally means 'to give notice' or 'to terminate'. For instance, if you're unhappy with your gym membership, you would kündigen your contract. Similarly, if you decide to leave your job, you would kündigen your employment.
It's often used with a direct object, such as 'den Vertrag' (the contract) or 'die Mitgliedschaft' (the membership). You can also use it to express that someone else terminated something, for example, 'der Chef hat ihm gekündigt' (the boss fired him). Remember that kündigen implies a formal termination with a notice period, so it's not used for simply stopping something casually.
When you want to end a contract, a subscription, or even a job, the German verb kündigen is what you'll use. It means to officially cancel, resign, or give notice.
For example, you might Ihren Handyvertrag kündigen (cancel your mobile phone contract) or Ihre Wohnung kündigen (give notice on your apartment).
It's an important verb to know for practical situations, as it's the standard way to express ending formal agreements.
§ Understanding "kündigen" in everyday German
The verb "kündigen" is super useful in German. It means to cancel, to resign, or to give notice. You'll hear this a lot in practical situations, especially about jobs, subscriptions, or apartments. It's not a fancy word; it's a word for getting things done, or undone, as the case may be.
- German Word
- kündigen (verb)
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- to cancel, resign, give notice
§ Common uses of "kündigen"
Let's look at where you'll really hear and use "kündigen." This isn't just a word from a textbook; it's something people say when they're making important life changes or dealing with everyday services.
- Work: Resigning from a job. This is probably one of the most common uses. When you quit a job, you "kündigen" your employment.
- Housing: Ending a rental agreement. If you're moving out of an apartment, you need to "kündigen" your lease.
- Services/Subscriptions: Canceling contracts. Think about your phone plan, gym membership, or a magazine subscription. You "kündigen" these agreements.
§ "Kündigen" in work situations
When someone leaves a job, they "kündigen." It's direct and clear. You'll often hear about a "Kündigungsfrist" (notice period), which is the time you have to work after giving notice.
Er musste seine Stelle kündigen, weil er umzog.
- Hint
- He had to resign from his job because he was moving.
Die Firma hat ihm gestern gekündigt.
- Hint
- The company fired him yesterday. (Note: passive form, meaning he was fired)
§ "Kündigen" for subscriptions and contracts
In Germany, contracts are a big deal. You often have to "kündigen" them formally, sometimes in writing, and usually with a specific notice period. This applies to things like your phone contract, internet, or even gym memberships.
Ich möchte meinen Handyvertrag kündigen.
- Hint
- I would like to cancel my mobile phone contract.
Hast du die Mitgliedschaft schon gekündigt?
- Hint
- Have you already canceled the membership?
§ "Kündigen" in rental agreements
When you rent an apartment or house in Germany, you'll definitely come across "kündigen." Both tenants and landlords use it. As a tenant, you "kündigen" your apartment; as a landlord, you can "kündigen" a tenant under specific circumstances.
Wir müssen die Wohnung bis Ende des Monats kündigen.
- Hint
- We have to give notice on the apartment by the end of the month.
Der Vermieter kann den Mietvertrag nur unter bestimmten Umständen kündigen.
- Hint
- The landlord can only terminate the rental agreement under certain circumstances.
As you can see, "kündigen" is a very versatile and practical word in German. It's essential for understanding and dealing with many real-world situations, whether you're moving, changing jobs, or managing your subscriptions. Pay attention to the context to understand exactly what is being canceled or terminated.
Curiosidade
The word is related to 'kund' (known) and 'Kunde' (customer/news).
Guia de pronúncia
- forgetting the 'ü' sound, which is like the 'ew' in 'few' but with rounded lips
- pronouncing the 'g' too hard, it's a soft 'g' sound
Exemplos por nível
Ich muss meinen Vertrag kündigen.
I must cancel my contract.
A1: Simple sentence structure, 'muss' (must) is a modal verb.
Er hat seine Wohnung gekündigt.
He cancelled his apartment (lease).
A1: Past tense (Perfekt) with 'haben'.
Sie will ihren Job kündigen.
She wants to resign from her job.
A1: Simple future with 'wollen' (to want).
Wir kündigen unser Abonnement.
We are cancelling our subscription.
A1: Present tense, common usage.
Können Sie den Termin kündigen?
Can you cancel the appointment?
A1: Question with modal verb 'können' (can).
Die Firma kündigt den Mitarbeiter.
The company dismisses the employee.
A1: Present tense, formal context.
Ich habe mein Fitnessstudio gekündigt.
I cancelled my gym membership.
A1: Past tense (Perfekt), common personal action.
Man muss oft zwei Monate vorher kündigen.
One often has to give two months' notice beforehand.
A1: Impersonal 'man' (one), common phrase for notice periods.
Ich muss meinen Handyvertrag kündigen.
I must my cell phone contract cancel.
A common use of 'kündigen' is with contracts.
Er hat beschlossen, seinen Job zu kündigen.
He has decided, his job to resign.
When used with a job, 'kündigen' means to resign or quit.
Wir müssen die Wohnung bis Ende des Monats kündigen.
We must the apartment until end of the month give notice (for).
With an apartment, 'kündigen' means to give notice to end the rental agreement.
Vergiss nicht, das Abo rechtzeitig zu kündigen.
Don't forget, the subscription on time to cancel.
Subscriptions are also frequently 'gekündigt' (canceled).
Sie wurde gekündigt, weil die Firma umstrukturiert wird.
She was terminated, because the company is being restructured.
The passive form 'gekündigt werden' means to be fired or terminated.
Ich habe vor einem Monat gekündigt, und jetzt suche ich einen neuen Job.
I have one month ago given notice, and now I am looking for a new job.
The perfect tense 'Ich habe gekündigt' is used when talking about having already given notice.
Man muss den Vertrag schriftlich kündigen.
One must the contract in writing cancel.
This emphasizes the formality often required for canceling agreements.
Die Bank kann Ihr Konto kündigen, wenn es keine Aktivitäten gibt.
The bank can your account close, if there are no activities.
In the context of a bank account, 'kündigen' can mean to close it.
Ich muss meinen Handyvertrag kündigen, bevor ich ins Ausland ziehe.
I have to cancel my cell phone contract before I move abroad.
Here 'kündigen' takes a direct object in the accusative case (meinen Handyvertrag).
Sie hat beschlossen, ihre Wohnung fristgerecht zu kündigen.
She decided to give notice for her apartment on time.
'Fristgerecht' means 'on time' or 'within the notice period'.
Der Mitarbeiter wurde fristlos gekündigt, weil er gestohlen hatte.
The employee was fired without notice because he had stolen something.
'Fristlos' means 'without notice' or 'immediately'. This is the passive voice.
Ich überlege, meinen Job zu kündigen und eine neue Herausforderung zu suchen.
I'm considering resigning from my job and looking for a new challenge.
Here 'kündigen' is used reflexively with 'meinen Job' implied as the object.
Man sollte immer prüfen, welche Kündigungsfristen gelten.
One should always check which notice periods apply.
'Kündigungsfristen' is a compound noun meaning 'notice periods'.
Haben Sie Ihren Fitnessstudio-Mitgliedschaft schon gekündigt?
Have you already canceled your gym membership?
This is the perfect tense (Perfekt) of 'kündigen'.
Es ist wichtig, eine Kündigung schriftlich einzureichen.
It is important to submit a cancellation in writing.
'Eine Kündigung' is the noun form of the verb.
Der Arbeitgeber kann den Vertrag unter bestimmten Umständen kündigen.
The employer can terminate the contract under certain circumstances.
Another example of 'kündigen' with a direct object ('den Vertrag').
Der Mieter hat seinen Mietvertrag fristgerecht gekündigt, da er beruflich umziehen muss.
The tenant cancelled his lease on time because he has to move for work.
Here, 'kündigen' is used with a dative object ('seinem Mietvertrag') and refers to cancelling a contract within the agreed-upon notice period.
Ich überlege, meine Mitgliedschaft im Fitnessstudio zu kündigen, da ich kaum noch hingehe.
I'm considering cancelling my gym membership because I hardly ever go anymore.
This example shows 'kündigen' with an accusative object ('meine Mitgliedschaft').
Nach langem Überlegen hat sie beschlossen, ihren Job zu kündigen und eine Weltreise zu machen.
After much consideration, she decided to quit her job and go on a world trip.
When referring to resigning from a job, 'kündigen' is often used with a possessive pronoun and 'Job' or 'Stelle'.
Die Firma musste leider mehreren Mitarbeitern kündigen, weil die Auftragslage schlecht ist.
Unfortunately, the company had to lay off several employees because the order situation is bad.
In this context, 'kündigen' means to lay off or dismiss employees. It takes a dative object ('mehreren Mitarbeitern').
Wenn Sie Ihren Handyvertrag kündigen möchten, müssen Sie dies schriftlich tun.
If you want to cancel your mobile phone contract, you have to do it in writing.
This sentence uses 'kündigen' with 'Handyvertrag' as the accusative object, emphasizing the formal aspect of cancellation.
Er wurde ohne Angabe von Gründen gekündigt, was rechtlich nicht zulässig ist.
He was fired without giving reasons, which is not legally permissible.
This is a passive construction, indicating that someone was dismissed from their job.
Vergessen Sie nicht, Ihre Versicherungen rechtzeitig zu kündigen, wenn Sie umziehen.
Don't forget to cancel your insurances in time when you move.
'Versicherungen' (insurances) is the accusative object here, showing 'kündigen' in the context of cancelling policies.
Viele Menschen zögern, alte Gewohnheiten zu kündigen, auch wenn sie ihnen schaden.
Many people hesitate to give up old habits, even if they harm them.
This is a more metaphorical use of 'kündigen', meaning to abandon or break with something, like habits. It's often used reflexively or with abstract concepts.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Ich muss meinen Vertrag kündigen.
I have to cancel my contract.
Er hat seine Stelle gekündigt.
He resigned from his job.
Wir wollen den Mietvertrag kündigen.
We want to terminate the rental agreement.
Sie hat ihre Versicherung gekündigt.
She canceled her insurance.
Denken Sie daran, Ihr Abo zu kündigen.
Remember to cancel your subscription.
Man kann oft fristlos kündigen, wenn es einen wichtigen Grund gibt.
You can often terminate without notice if there's an important reason.
Bitte kündigen Sie schriftlich.
Please cancel in writing.
Ich werde zum Monatsende kündigen.
I will cancel at the end of the month.
Du musst mit einer Frist von drei Monaten kündigen.
You have to give three months' notice.
Er hat seine Mitgliedschaft gekündigt.
He canceled his membership.
Família de palavras
Substantivos
Adjetivos
Como usar
Kündigen: Practical Usage
The verb kündigen is essential for everyday situations, particularly when dealing with contracts, subscriptions, or employment.
- Canceling a contract/subscription: When you want to stop a service, like a phone contract or a gym membership, you kündigen it. Example: Ich muss meinen Handyvertrag kündigen. (I have to cancel my phone contract.)
- Resigning from a job: If you're leaving your job, you kündigen your employment. Example: Sie hat ihre Stelle gekündigt. (She resigned from her job.)
- Giving notice: This applies to both tenants and landlords. A tenant kündigt their apartment, and a landlord can also kündigen a tenant's lease under certain circumstances. Example: Wir haben die Wohnung gekündigt. (We gave notice on the apartment.)
Remember that kündigen usually implies a formal, often written, act of termination, following specific notice periods.
Common Mistakes with Kündigen
- Confusing with 'annullieren': While both can mean 'to cancel', annullieren is typically used for canceling events, appointments, or reservations (e.g., a flight, a meeting). Kündigen is specifically for contracts, memberships, or employment.
- Incorrect preposition: When specifying what you are canceling, you often don't need a preposition directly after kündigen. You directly use the accusative case. For example, Ich kündige den Vertrag (I cancel the contract), not Ich kündige von dem Vertrag.
- Using for small, informal cancellations: Don't use kündigen for canceling a casual plan with a friend. For that, you'd use something like absagen (to cancel an appointment/event) or abblasen (to call off).
Origem da palavra
Middle High German 'kundigen'
Significado original: to make known, announce
GermanicContexto cultural
In Germany, there are often strict notice periods for contracts like rental agreements and employment contracts. Using 'kündigen' correctly is crucial to avoid legal issues, as improper termination can lead to penalties or continued obligations. It's important to be aware of these legal requirements when dealing with contracts in German-speaking countries.
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasBoth 'kündigen' and 'absagen' involve canceling, but they apply to different situations. 'Kündigen' is for canceling ongoing contracts, subscriptions, or employment. Think of it as formally ending something. For example, 'Ich muss meinen Handyvertrag kündigen.' (I have to cancel my cell phone contract.) 'Absagen' is for canceling appointments, events, or plans. For example, 'Ich muss das Treffen absagen.' (I have to cancel the meeting.)
Yes, absolutely! 'Kündigen' is the correct verb to use when you want to resign from your job. You would say, 'Ich möchte meinen Job kündigen.' (I would like to quit my job.) Or, 'Er hat seine Stelle gekündigt.' (He resigned from his position.)
For subscriptions, 'kündigen' is exactly what you need. You'd say, 'Ich möchte mein Netflix-Abo kündigen.' (I want to cancel my Netflix subscription.) Or, 'Ich habe meine Fitnessstudio-Mitgliedschaft gekündigt.' (I cancelled my gym membership.)
The verb 'kündigen' itself implies giving notice when talking about contracts or employment. For example, 'Ich habe meine Wohnung fristgerecht gekündigt.' (I gave proper notice for my apartment.) 'Fristgerecht' means 'on time' or 'with proper notice.'
'Kündigen' is generally used in more formal contexts, especially when dealing with legal agreements, contracts, or employment. For informal cancellations of plans, you'd usually use 'absagen' or other phrases like 'nicht kommen können' (can't come).
The past participle of 'kündigen' is 'gekündigt'. So, in the perfect tense, you would say, 'Ich habe gekündigt.' (I have quit/cancelled.) In the simple past (Präteritum), it's 'kündigte'. For example, 'Er kündigte seinen Vertrag.' (He cancelled his contract.)
Often, 'kündigen' is used with a direct object. For example, 'Ich kündige den Vertrag.' (I cancel the contract.) If you are quitting *from* something, you might use 'bei'. For example, 'Er hat bei seiner Firma gekündigt.' (He resigned from his company.)
Yes, you can! 'Kündigen' can also mean 'to fire' or 'to dismiss someone from employment'. In this context, it would be 'Die Firma hat ihn gekündigt.' (The company fired him.) or 'Sie müssen einen Mitarbeiter kündigen.' (They have to fire an employee.)
The noun form related to 'kündigen' is 'die Kündigung'. This means 'the cancellation' or 'the notice'. For example, 'Ich habe meine Kündigung eingereicht.' (I submitted my resignation.) Or, 'Die Kündigung des Vertrags.' (The cancellation of the contract.)
When dealing with a notice period, you would still use 'kündigen'. You might add 'fristgerecht' (on time, with proper notice) to emphasize that you're adhering to the notice period. For example, 'Ich habe meinen Mietvertrag fristgerecht gekündigt.' (I cancelled my rental agreement with proper notice.)
Teste-se 36 perguntas
Write a sentence saying you want to cancel your newspaper subscription.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ich möchte mein Zeitungsabonnement kündigen.
Imagine you are leaving your job. Write a short sentence indicating you are resigning.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ich kündige meine Arbeit.
Write a simple sentence stating that someone has given notice for their apartment.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Er kündigt seine Wohnung.
Was möchte Anna mit ihrem Fitnessstudio-Abonnement machen?
Read this passage:
Anna hat ein Fitnessstudio-Abonnement. Sie möchte es nicht mehr. Deshalb muss sie es kündigen. Sie schreibt eine E-Mail an das Fitnessstudio.
Was möchte Anna mit ihrem Fitnessstudio-Abonnement machen?
Anna möchte das Abonnement nicht mehr, deshalb muss sie es kündigen.
Anna möchte das Abonnement nicht mehr, deshalb muss sie es kündigen.
Warum möchte Markus seinen Handyvertrag kündigen?
Read this passage:
Markus hat einen Vertrag für sein Handy. Der Vertrag ist zu teuer. Er ruft die Firma an, um den Vertrag zu kündigen.
Warum möchte Markus seinen Handyvertrag kündigen?
Der Passage sagt, dass der Vertrag zu teuer ist, deshalb möchte er ihn kündigen.
Der Passage sagt, dass der Vertrag zu teuer ist, deshalb möchte er ihn kündigen.
Was muss Julia tun, weil sie umziehen möchte?
Read this passage:
Julia arbeitet in einem Geschäft. Sie möchte in eine andere Stadt ziehen. Deshalb muss sie ihren Job kündigen. Sie sagt es ihrem Chef.
Was muss Julia tun, weil sie umziehen möchte?
Da Julia in eine andere Stadt ziehen möchte, muss sie ihren Job kündigen.
Da Julia in eine andere Stadt ziehen möchte, muss sie ihren Job kündigen.
This sentence means 'I have to cancel my contract.' The verb 'kündigen' is used here to indicate the action of canceling a contract.
This sentence means 'She wants to give notice on the apartment.' 'Kündigen' is used in the context of ending a rental agreement.
This sentence means 'We should cancel the subscription.' Here, 'kündigen' refers to ending a subscription service.
Welches Wort passt am besten, um auszudrücken, dass Sie Ihren Handyvertrag beenden möchten?
Wenn Sie einen Vertrag beenden möchten, verwenden Sie das Verb 'kündigen'.
Wenn ein Mieter aus seiner Wohnung ausziehen möchte, muss er den Mietvertrag ____.
Man kündigt einen Mietvertrag, um ihn zu beenden.
Was ist das Gegenteil von 'einen Vertrag kündigen'?
Das Gegenteil von einem Vertrag kündigen ist, einen neuen Vertrag abzuschließen.
Wenn man seinen Job verlassen möchte, muss man 'kündigen'.
Ja, 'kündigen' wird verwendet, wenn man seinen Arbeitsvertrag beenden möchte.
Man kann einen Freund 'kündigen'.
Das Verb 'kündigen' wird für Verträge, Abonnements oder Anstellungsverhältnisse verwendet, nicht für Personen.
Wenn ein Abo automatisch endet, muss man es nicht 'kündigen'.
Wenn ein Abonnement automatisch endet, ist keine Kündigung erforderlich, da es von selbst ausläuft.
This sentence means 'I would like to cancel my subscription.' The verb 'kündigen' is used here to cancel a service.
This sentence means 'She has terminated her rental agreement.' 'Gekündigt' is the past participle of 'kündigen'.
This sentence means 'He has to resign from his job.' Here 'kündigen' refers to resigning from employment.
Welcher Satz verwendet 'kündigen' korrekt im Kontext einer Beendigung des Arbeitsverhältnisses?
'Kündigen' bezieht sich auf die Beendigung eines Vertrages oder einer Vereinbarung, nicht auf Personen oder Orte direkt.
Was ist die richtige Präposition, wenn man sagt, dass man einen Vertrag zu einem bestimmten Datum kündigt?
Bei der Angabe eines Datums für eine Kündigung verwendet man im Deutschen die Präposition 'auf'.
Welches Verb ist ein Synonym für 'kündigen' im Kontext der Beendigung einer Mitgliedschaft?
'Abmelden' ist ein passendes Synonym für 'kündigen', wenn es um die Beendigung einer Mitgliedschaft oder eines Abonnements geht.
Man kann einen Freund kündigen, wenn man die Freundschaft beenden möchte.
'Kündigen' wird im Deutschen nicht für persönliche Beziehungen wie Freundschaften verwendet. Man würde eher sagen 'die Freundschaft beenden'.
Wenn man eine Wohnung kündigt, bedeutet das, dass man sie mietet.
Eine Wohnung zu kündigen bedeutet, den Mietvertrag zu beenden und auszuziehen, nicht einzuziehen.
Das Verb 'kündigen' kann sowohl für das Beenden eines Abonnements als auch für das Aufhören einer Arbeitsstelle verwendet werden.
'Kündigen' ist vielseitig einsetzbar und kann sowohl im Kontext von Abonnements, Verträgen als auch Arbeitsverhältnissen genutzt werden.
The speaker needs to cancel a contract.
Someone resigned from their job.
The speaker is asking about a deadline for giving notice.
Read this aloud:
Ich habe heute meine Mitgliedschaft gekündigt.
Focus: Mitgliedschaft
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
Er will seinen Vertrag fristlos kündigen.
Focus: fristlos
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
Könnten Sie mir bitte erklären, wie ich den Dienst kündigen kann?
Focus: erklären
Você disse:
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/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
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abgeben
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absprechen
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administrativ
B1Refere-se a tarefas de gestão, burocracia ou organização de uma empresa.
aktualisieren
B1to update
analog
B1analog
Anforderung
B1É algo que é necessário ou solicitado. É uma condição que deve ser atendida.
angestellt
B1Significa que você tem um emprego e trabalha para uma empresa ou outra pessoa.
Angestellter
A1Uma pessoa que trabalha para uma empresa ou para outra pessoa.
anspruchsvoll
B1Isto descreve algo que requer muito esforço, habilidade ou atenção para ser bem feito.
anstatt... zu...
B1Usado quando se escolhe fazer outra coisa em vez da primeira opção.
