German Abbreviations (U-Z)
Deutsche Abkürzungen
German Abbreviations from Abb. to z.Z.
GENERAL ABBREVIATIONS
German - English
The following abbreviations are commonly found in German reading (books, letters, periodicals, business documents, etc.) and sometimes in conversation. In most cases, this glossary does not include German abbreviations that are identical or similar to English abbreviations (e.g., BMW, BSE, VHS, VW, etc.), although the German pronunciation may be different. (Audio files of some of these can be found on our Abc-Quiz page.) For other types of abbreviations and acronyms in German, also see the other pages and links below.
ALSO SEE:
• Countries & Nationalities
• 'MfG' Abbreviations
• Political Party Abbreviations
• Real Estate Ad Abbreviations
• Das Alphabet
A-C | D-F | G-J | K-M | N-Q | R-T | U-Z
| Abkürzung | German | English |
| U | ||
| u. | und | and |
| U | Umleitung | detour |
| U | U-Bahn | metro, subway, underground |
| u.a. | und andere | and others |
| u.a. | unter anderem | among others |
| u.ä. | und ähnlich | and similarly |
| u.Ä. | und Ähnliches | and the like |
| u.a.m. | unter andere(s) mehr | and more, etc. |
| u.A.w.g. | um Antwort wird gebeten | RSVP |
| UB | Universitätsbibliothek | university library |
| UdSSR | Union der Sowjetischen Sowjetrepubliken | USSR, Soviet Union (until 1991) |
| UFA/Ufa | Universum-Film AG | German film studio (1917-1945) |
| UG | Untergeschoss | basement, lower floor |
| UKW | Ultrakurzwellen | FM (radio) |
| die UNO | Vereinte Nationen | UN, United Nations (Organiz.) |
| usw. | und so weiter | and so on, etc. |
| u.v.a.(m) | und vieles andere (mehr) | and many others |
| u.U. | unter Umständen | possibly |
| V | ||
| V. | Vers | line, verse |
| v.Chr. | vor Christus | BC, before Christ |
| VEB | Volkseigener Betrieb | state-owned business in East Germany |
| VELKD | Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutheranische Kirche Deutschlands | United Lutheran Church of Germany |
| Verf. | Verfasser | author |
| verh. | verheiratet | married |
| verw. | verwitwet | widowed |
| vgl. | vergleiche | cf., compare, reference |
| v.H. | vom Hundert | percent, per 100 |
| VHS | Volkshochschule | adult educ. school |
| vorm. | vormals | formerly |
| vorm. | vormittags | a.m., in the morning |
| VP | Vollpension | full board and lodging |
| VPS | Videoprogrammsystem | a now-extinct Ger. video recording system |
| v.R.w. | von Rechts wegen | by law |
| v.T. | vom Tausend | per 1000 |
| v.u.Z. | vor unserer Zeitrechnung | before the common era, BC |
| W | ||
| W | West(en) | west |
| WC | das WC | toilet, restroom, WC |
| WDR | Westdeutscher Rundfunk | West German Radio (NRW) |
| WEZ | Westeuropäische Zeit | Western European Time same as GMT |
| WG | Wohngemeinschaft | communal/shared apartment/flat |
| WS | Wintersemester | winter semester |
| WSV | Winterschlussverkauf | end-of-winter sale |
| WSW | Westsüdwest | west southwest |
| Wz | Warenzeichen | trademark |
| Z | ||
| Z | Zeile | line |
| Z | Zahl | number |
| z. | zu, zum, zur | at, to |
| z.B. | zum Beispiel | e.g., for example |
| ZDF | Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen | Second German TV (network) |
| z.Hd. | zu Händen, zu Handen | attn., attention of |
| Zi. | Zimmer | room |
| ZPO | Zivilprozessordnung | civil action/decree (divorce, etc.) |
| zur. | zurück | back |
| zus. | zusammen | together |
| z.T. | zum Teil | partly, in part |
| Ztr. | Zentner | 100 kg |
| zzgl. | zuzüglich | plus, in addition |
| z.Z. | zur Zeit | currently, at present, for the time being, at the time of |
| Symbole (Symbols) | ||
| * | geboren | born |
| small cross or dagger sign | gestorben | died |
| ¶ | Paragraf | section, paragraph (legal) |
| € | der Euro | euro |
More German Abbreviations
R-T < ZURÜCK - WEITER > A-C
Related Pages
Countries & Nationalities
An annotated glossary with the international abbreviation for each country.
Political Party Abbreviations
In Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
Real Estate Ad Abbreviations
An annotated German-English glossary of abbreviations found in ads for housing.
German for Beginners - Contents
English-German Glossaries
All of the annotated glossaries on this site - from aerospace to travel.
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