Abbreviations found in classified / flat / apartment ads

You won't find the known BHK / Bathroom Hall Kitchen because 'halls' aren't considered to be living space. Instead you get "ZKB" for example. Here are further common abbreviations.

Abbreviation	German meaning	translation & explanation
1ZBB	1 Zimmer mit Bad und Balkon	1 room, a bathroom and a balcony (=2 rooms)
1ZKB	1 Zimmer mit Küche und Bad	1 room, a kitchen and a bathroom (=3 rooms)
1ZKBB	1 Zimmer mit Küche, Bad und Balkon oder Toilette extra	1 room, a bathroom, a kitchen and a balcony (=3 rooms) or instead of ‘balcony’ it could mean a separate toilet which would otherwise be included in the bathroom.
AA	Autoabstellplatz	parking space
AB	Altbau	The house was built before 1950. Could mean tall rooms (4 metres high, think of heating costs) or be a hint on the amount of stairs you need to climb.
App	Apartment	apartment
bezugsf.	bezugsfertig	ready to move in. The flat may not have wallpaper, walls might not be painted, flooring might be missing (no carpets, laminate, tiling), might have no kitchen utilities.
Bj.	Baujahr	the year the house was built
BK	Betriebskosten	operating costs
BLK	Balkon	balcony
BW (or BaWa)	Badewanne	bathtub
bzb	bezugsbereit	available, you can move in immediately.
Chiffre	Chriffre	Not an abbreviation but needs explaining as it’s common: instead of calling a phone number you must contact the newspaper under the Chiffre number and leave your contact details and the landlord will get back to you (or not).
CT	Courtage, Maklerprovision	brokerage fee or commission
DB	Duschbad	bathroom with a combined shower & bath
DG	Dachgeschoss	attic / loft, a room or apartment on the very top floor, “under the roof”(roof=Dach) – probably only a few vertical walls - also see Man.
DT	Dachterrasse	roof terrace - outdoor space on or at the same level as the attic/loft
DU	Dusche	shower – so just a room with a shower, a sink is optional but probable
EB	Erstbezug	first occupancy
EBK	Einbauküche (gelegentlich auch: Ein Zimmer, Bad und Küche)	built-in or fitted kitchen (less common: ‘one room, bathroom, kitchen’ if nothing else is mentioned)
EG	Erdgeschoss	ground floor
E-hzg	Elektroheizung	electrical heaters
ELW	Einliegerwohnung	granny or lodger apartment, often in the basement with smaller and fewer windows
Ethzg	Etagenheizung	heating system for the whole storey
ETW	Etagenwohnung	apartment - more than one apartment per storey
EZW	Einzimmerwohnung	1 room apartment – also see 1 ZKB
FBH	Fussbodenheizung	underfloor heating
Gge	Garage	garage
GH	Gasheizung	gas heating
GSP	Geschirrspüler	Dishwasher
HK	Heizkosten	heating expenses
HH, HTH	Hinterhaus	rear building, means the house has no direct access to the street and you’ll have to walk through the front house to get there – mainly no big deal
HMS	Hausmeisterservice	janitor service, as in the rubbish bins are taken care of, stairwells will be cleaned, snow will be removed
JM	Jahresmiete	annual rent
KA	Karlsruhe	Within Karlsruhe and suburbs
Kaut.-> KT	Kaution	-> KT
Kel	Keller	mainly an unheated, lockable space in the cellar
KM	Kaltmiete	basic rent, this means heating, electricity, water will be charged extra
KN, KoNi	Kochnische	kitchenette – this means no separate room for the kitchen. It will probably have a small fridge, two hot plates, a sink, running water.
KT	Kaution	deposit - a fixed sum taken at the start of your tenancy by landlords or letting agents to cover damage, rent arrears, etc. and is typically around one to three months' rent. You will get this deposit back when you move out and haven't wrecked the place or are behind in rent
Kü	Küche	kitchen
L	Lift	lift
lux.	luxuriöse Ausstattung	luxuriously furnished
m.	mit	with / including
Man	Mansarde	an attic/loft converted into a flat. Expect little to no vertical walls.In Karlsruhe's older buildings they can be quite spaceous.
mbl.	Möbliert	furnished
MKM	Monatskaltmiete	monthly basic rent, also see KM
MM	Monatsmiete	monthly rent
NB	Neubau	newly built building
NK	Nebenkosten	extra utility charges – such as electricity, water, heating, waste, maybe janitor. Make sure you know which costs are included and to which extent
NKVZ	Nebenkostenvorauszahlung	advance payment of utility charges (see NK)
NR	Nichtraucher	non-smokers only
NSP	Nachtspeicherheizung	night storage heating system
OG	Obergeschoss	upper floor, e.g. 2.OG would be the 2^nd floor up – so there’s ground level, 1^st floor then 2^nd floor.
OH/öZH	Ofenheizung /Ölzentralheizung	oven heating / central oil heating
OT	Ortsteil	surrounding district, certain part of the town, not the direct centre
ren.	renoviert	renovated
rep.-bed.	reparaturbedürftig	in need of repairs
Stpl. or Stellpl.	Stellplatz	parking space
SZ	Schlafzimmer	bedroom
Terr.	Terrasse	terrace, patio - a paved outdoor space
TB / TLB	Tageslichtbad	bathroom with a window. German apartments often have interior bathrooms with an extractor but no window
TG	Tiefgarage	underground car park
UG	Untergeschoss	basement, expect fewer and smaller windows
WaMa	Waschmaschine	washing machine
WBS	Wohnberechtigungsschein	certificate of eligibility to public housing, a document certifying a tenant’s financial hardship
WEP	Wochenendpendler	weekend commuters – these rooms/apartments are only available from Mon-Fri and must be vacated at the weekend
Wfl.	Wohnfläche	living space - in square metres
WG	Wohngemeinschaft	HMO (House of Multiple Occupancy) or flat-sharing community – of course very popular with students and one of the cheapest ways to live here in Karlsruhe.
Whg.	Wohnung	apartment
WM	Warmmiete	rent including additional costs – see NK for details
Wochenendheimfahrer	Wochenendheimfahrer	this means a Monday-Friday = fractional let. You can occupy the room during the week and live elsewhere at the weekends. Not suitable for students unless you travel every weekend.
WoKü	Wohnküche	open living space with a kitchen
ZB	Zimmer mit Bad	a room with its own bathroom – mainly in student hostels with a shared kitchen space.
ZBB	Zimmer, Bad und Balkon	a room with its own bathroom and balcony
ZD...	Zimmer, Dusche ...	a room with its own shower room...
ZH	Zentralheizung	central heating
Z or Zi	Zimmer	room
Zhzg.	Zusatzheizung	additional heating
ZKB	Zimmer, Küche und Bad	room, kitchen and bathroom, probably with a bath
ZKD	Zimmer, Küche und Dusche	room, kitchen and bathroom with a shower – so no definitely bath
zzgl.	zuzüglich	plus, additional, other costs