It’s what you sign when renting an apartment, starting a job, or sealing a deal. In German, it’s called der Vertrag. This is your German word of the day, and it’s one of the most essential nouns in both everyday life and formal contexts.
The noun Vertrag means contract, agreement, or treaty, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. From employment to phone plans to international politics, if something’s official in Germany, there’s usually a Vertrag behind it.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Vertrag (want to finally understand gender? Our quick, no-nonsense video lesson makes it simple: https://deutschable.com/course/lesson-3-3/).
Pronunciation
Vertrag is pronounced [fer-TRAHK].
- Ver sounds like “fair”,
- trag rhymes with “rock” (but with a throaty, unaspirated German k),
- Stress is on the second syllable: fer-TRAG
It sounds formal and weighty—just like the documents it describes.
Example sentences:
Ich habe einen neuen Vertrag unterschrieben.
I signed a new contract.
Der Vertrag läuft bis Ende des Jahres.
The contract runs until the end of the year.
Nuance and usage tips
Vertrag is the go-to word for any legally binding or formal agreement. It can be used for:
- Work or employment – Arbeitsvertrag
- Rental or lease – Mietvertrag
- Business or trade – Liefervertrag, Kaufvertrag
- Government and diplomacy – Friedensvertrag (peace treaty), Vertrag von Versailles
Common related verbs:
- einen Vertrag abschließen – to finalize/sign a contract
- einen Vertrag kündigen – to terminate/cancel a contract
- an einen Vertrag gebunden sein – to be bound by a contract
Also useful: vertraglich (contractual, by contract)
How does this word come up in real conversations?
Even beginners will hear Vertrag in everyday situations like getting a phone plan, a gym membership, or a job.
“Hast du den Vertrag schon gelesen?” – Have you already read the contract?
“Kann ich den Vertrag monatlich kündigen?” – Can I cancel the contract monthly?
In German culture, contracts are taken seriously, and paperwork is everywhere—so this is a word you’ll want in your toolkit.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Lukas: Hast du den Mietvertrag bekommen?
Nina: Ja, gestern per E-Mail.
Lukas: Und, alles in Ordnung?
Nina: Ich glaube schon – ich lese ihn heute Abend in Ruhe.
Lukas: Did you get the rental contract?
Nina: Yes, yesterday by email.
Lukas: And? Everything okay?
Nina: I think so – I’ll read it carefully tonight.
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:
Der Vertrag ist gültig bis 2026.
The contract is valid until 2026.
Accusative:
Ich habe den Vertrag verloren.
I lost the contract.
Dative:
Mit dem Vertrag bin ich nicht zufrieden.
I’m not happy with the contract.
Genitive:
Die Bedingungen des Vertrags sind streng.
The conditions of the contract are strict.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Some important compound words:
- Arbeitsvertrag – employment contract
- Mietvertrag – rental agreement
- Kaufvertrag – purchase agreement
- Friedensvertrag – peace treaty
- Handelsvertrag – trade agreement
- Dienstvertrag – service contract
Legal note: Most Verträge in Germany come with strict cancellation periods (Kündigungsfrist)—you’ll often need to cancel months in advance.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Vertrag
🎥 Learn Vertrag and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course: https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Volk means? How about Vogel? Find out!