My First Apartment Hunt: Mastering ‘Hoch’ and ‘Von’ in Germany

Okay, deep breaths. Moving to Berlin was… a lot. Exciting, terrifying, completely overwhelming. Finding an apartment was definitely the biggest hurdle, and honestly, the first few conversations I had felt like I was wading through a sea of unfamiliar words and gestures. I’m still stumbling, of course, but I’m starting to get a grip on things, and I wanted to share what I’ve learned, specifically about describing places – and how two-way prepositions threw me for a loop!

The Initial Panic – “Ist das eine Wohnung?”

The first few weeks were just a blur of frantic online searches, viewing countless flats, and feeling utterly lost. I’d nervously ask, “Ist das eine Wohnung?” (Is this an apartment?) and the estate agents, bless their hearts, would usually respond with a polite, “Ja, aber….” (Yes, but…). That “aber” was my first clue that things weren’t going to be simple. I quickly learned that the ‘aber’ often meant a detailed explanation, and the explanation was frequently about the prepositions.

Two-Way Prepositions: A German Nightmare (for me, anyway)

Seriously, these two-way prepositions – von, zu, in, an, auf, unter, über, durch – they felt like a completely separate language. In English, we mostly use ‘of’ or ‘from’ for things like ‘the roof of the building’ (the roof of the building). But in German, it’s… different. It’s like a constant back-and-forth.

I remember trying to describe my new flat to my colleague, Thomas, because I wanted to be precise when saying where I lived. I said, “Die Wohnung ist von meinem Freund gekauft.” (The apartment is from my friend bought). He stared at me, completely bewildered. Then he corrected me: “Nein, nein! Du musst sagen: Die Wohnung ist zu meinem Freund.” (No, no! You need to say: The apartment is to my friend.) Turns out, ‘zu’ means ‘belonging to’ or ‘owned by’. It was a complete brain melt.

Practical Examples & My Mistakes

Let’s look at some more concrete examples. I’ve been trying to build up my vocabulary, and these phrases have been surprisingly useful:

• “Die Küche ist in der Nähe des Bads.” (The kitchen is near the bathroom.) – This one, I actually got right the first time! It felt intuitive, like a standard description.
• “Das Wohnzimmer ist an der Westseite des Hauses.” (The living room is on the west side of the house.) – This was a tricky one. I kept trying to say “in der Westseite,” but I was told “Nein, an der Westseite!” (No, on the west side!)
• “Das Schlafzimmer liegt unter dem Dach.” (The bedroom is under the roof.) – This one finally clicked! ‘Unter dem Dach’ literally means ‘under the roof’, and it’s a very common expression.

My biggest mistake, and it happened a lot early on, was trying to force a direct translation from English. Like, thinking ‘located in’ always meant ‘in’. I learned that hard way when I tried to explain my apartment’s location to the landlord and ended up sounding completely confused.

Decoding the Landlord’s Questions

The landlords themselves often used two-way prepositions in a way I hadn’t anticipated. They wouldn’t just ask “Wo ist die Wohnung?” (Where is the apartment?). They’d follow up with questions like, “Wo liegt die Wohnung von Ihrem Büro?” (Where is the apartment from your office?). It’s about understanding the relationship, the origin.

I had to start anticipating these follow-up questions. It’s forced me to really think about how I’m describing the location, not just the location itself.

My Progress (and Ongoing Struggles!)

I’m still definitely not fluent, and I still make mistakes. But I’m getting there. I’m using flashcards, practicing with friends, and, most importantly, making mistakes and getting corrected. I even started a little notebook where I write down the prepositions I struggle with and create my own example sentences.

“Die Toilette ist von der Dusche entfernt.” (The toilet is from the shower away) – I’m pretty sure that’s correct!

Honestly, learning these two-way prepositions is proving to be one of the toughest parts of learning German, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. It’s really making me pay attention to the nuances of the language and forcing me to think about how things are connected. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be confidently describing my dream apartment in German, without a single “aber” or confused stare.

Do you have any tips for me? Let me know in the comments!