Whether it’s a cozy studio, a high-rise unit, or a spacious city flat—Germans call it a Wohnung. It’s the word for the private space you live in when you're not in a house.
The noun Wohnung means apartment, flat, or dwelling, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll hear it in real estate ads, moving conversations, and any discussion about housing.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Wohnung.
Pronunciation
Wohnung is pronounced [VOH-noong].
- W is pronounced like a V,
- ohn rhymes with bone,
- ung ends with a soft nasal “oong” sound,
- Stress is on the first syllable: VOH-nung
It’s smooth and full—just like a nicely furnished apartment.
Example sentences:
- Meine Wohnung ist klein, aber sehr gemütlich.
My apartment is small, but very cozy. - Wir suchen eine neue Wohnung in Berlin.
We’re looking for a new apartment in Berlin.
Nuance and usage tips
Wohnung comes from the verb wohnen (to live, reside), plus the feminine ending -ung, which often indicates a thing or concept related to a verb.
It’s used mainly for apartments, not for whole houses.
- Types of apartments
- Einzimmerwohnung – one-room apartment / studio
- Dachgeschosswohnung – attic apartment
- Altbauwohnung – pre-war / historic apartment (often with high ceilings)
- WG-Wohnung – shared apartment in a flatshare (WG = Wohngemeinschaft)
- Contextual uses
- Wohnung kündigen – to give notice on an apartment
- Wohnungsbesichtigung – apartment viewing
- Wohnungsnot – housing shortage
Its antonym might be Obdachlosigkeit (homelessness, feminine) or Haus if you're comparing to a full house.
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Die Wohnung hat einen Balkon und eine große Küche.
The apartment has a balcony and a large kitchen. - Accusative:
Wir haben die Wohnung gestern besichtigt.
We viewed the apartment yesterday. - Dative:
Mit der Wohnung sind wir sehr zufrieden.
We’re very happy with the apartment. - Genitive:
Wegen der Wohnung haben sie sich verschuldet.
Because of the apartment, they went into debt.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- Wohnungssuche – apartment search
- Wohnungsanzeige – apartment listing
- Wohnungsbau – apartment construction
- Wohnungsschlüssel – apartment key
- Wohnungseinbruch – apartment burglary
- Mietwohnung – rental apartment
- Eigentumswohnung – condominium / owner-occupied apartment
Fun cultural note:
Many Germans rent their apartments long-term, and owning an apartment (an Eigentumswohnung) is a big deal. It’s also common to name the number of rooms, not bedrooms:
Eine Drei-Zimmer-Wohnung = a two-bedroom apartment with living room (not counting kitchen/bath)
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Wohnung
🎥 Learn Wohnung and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
For home in the emotional sense, Germans use Zuhause. For house, use Haus. But for rented or owned units inside a building—Wohnung is your everyday essential.
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Wut means? How about Zauberer? Find out!