Lesson 164 · German A1-2

Birth & Parental Leave Vocabulary

Geburt und Elternzeit

Germany has a well-known parental leave and benefits system (Elternzeit, Elterngeld) - genuinely useful vocabulary if you or someone close to you has a child while living there.

Today's win: understand the core vocabulary around having a baby in Germany.

Core vocabulary

die Geburtbirthdie Elternzeitparental leave
das Elterngeldparental benefit (income replacement)die Hebammemidwife

Quick check: what's the German word for "midwife"?

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Hebamme

Announcing a birth

Wir haben ein Baby bekommen! (We had a baby! - bekommen, Lesson 72.)
Herzlichen Glückwunsch zur Geburt! (Congratulations on the birth!)

Quick check: "We had a baby!" - Wir haben ein Baby ______!

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bekommen

Elternzeit and Elterngeld

Ich möchte Elternzeit beantragen. (I'd like to apply for parental leave - beantragen, Lesson 118.)
Wie lange dauert das Elterngeld? (How long does parental benefit last? - dauern, Lesson 54.)

Quick check: "I'd like to apply for parental leave." - Ich möchte Elternzeit ______.

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beantragen
Try it out loud: announce an imaginary birth and ask one question about Elternzeit.

Recap

1. What's the German word for "parental leave"?

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Elternzeit

2. What's the German word for "parental benefit"?

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Elterngeld

3. "Congratulations on the birth!" - Herzlichen ______ zur Geburt!

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Glückwunsch

Primary source

Vocabulary cross-checked against the official Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Wortliste; Elterngeld rules and amounts change, worth checking current details directly.

Navigating a real Elternzeit application? Ask your teaching agent to help with the vocabulary.