German Abbreviations for Writing | The Top 10 🎯

Ever wondered what those little German abbreviations in emails, letters and forms actually mean? This lesson covers the most important abbreviations for written German. You will learn what they stand for, when to use them, and how they appear in example sentences from everyday life in Germany. You will see them almost daily, so they are well worth knowing.

Why Learn German Abbreviations?

Abbreviations (Abkürzungen) are everywhere in written German: in emails, on forms, in contracts, on apartment ads and in textbooks. Knowing them makes reading faster, and using them correctly makes your own writing look natural. Most of them are used in writing only. When you read them aloud, you say the full words.

The Top 10 German Abbreviations

1. z. B. = zum Beispiel (for example): "Ich mag Obst, z. B. Äpfel und Bananen."
2. usw. = und so weiter (and so on): "Wir brauchen Brot, Milch, Eier usw."
3. d. h. = das heißt (that is / meaning): "Der Kurs beginnt morgen, d. h. wir müssen heute alles vorbereiten."
4. bzw. = beziehungsweise (or rather / respectively): "Er ist 30 bzw. fast 31 Jahre alt."
5. ca. = circa (approximately): "Die Fahrt dauert ca. zwei Stunden."
6. evtl. = eventuell (possibly): "Ich komme evtl. etwas später."
7. ggf. = gegebenenfalls (if applicable / if necessary): "Bitte bringen Sie ggf. Ihren Ausweis mit."
8. u. a. = unter anderem (among other things): "Sie spricht u. a. Deutsch, Englisch und Chinesisch."
9. inkl. = inklusive (including): "Der Preis beträgt 50 Euro inkl. Versand."
10. Nr. = Nummer (number): "Meine Kundennummer ist die Nr. 12345."

Writing Tips

• Multi-part abbreviations such as "z. B.", "d. h." and "u. a." are written with a space after each dot.
• Use abbreviations in emails, notes and informal or business writing. In very formal texts or in essays, writing the full words is often better.
• In a spoken conversation you never say "zed be" or "usw": you say zum Beispiel, und so weiter, and so on.

Watch Out: "eventuell" Is a False Friend

"evtl." stands for "eventuell," which means "possibly", not "eventually." This is a classic false friend, and we cover it in our lesson on 10 common German mistakes.

Häufig gestellte Fragen (FAQ)

What does "z. B." mean in German?

"Z. B." stands for "zum Beispiel" and means "for example". It is one of the most common abbreviations in written German.

What is the difference between "d. h." and "z. B."?

"D. h." (das heißt) means "that is" and explains or restates what you just said. "Z. B." (zum Beispiel) introduces an example.

How do you pronounce German abbreviations?

Most written abbreviations are read out as the full words: "z. B." is spoken as "zum Beispiel" and "usw." as "und so weiter". A few, such as "PKW" or "USA", are spoken letter by letter.

Do I put a space in "z. B." and "d. h."?

Yes. In multi-part abbreviations, standard German writing puts a space after each dot: "z. B.", "d. h.", "u. a.".

What is the difference between "evtl." and "ggf."?

"Evtl." (eventuell) means "possibly" and expresses uncertainty. "Ggf." (gegebenenfalls) means "if applicable" or "if necessary" and is common in instructions, forms and official emails.

To read and write everyday German with confidence, take a look at our B1 German course for self-paced learners, which builds the vocabulary and writing skills you need at this level.