social welfare office
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social welfare office
A municipal authority in Germany responsible for granting social assistance and other social benefits to citizens in need.
Wer seine Miete nicht mehr zahlen kann, muss sich an das Sozialamt wenden.
Anyone who can no longer pay their rent has to contact the social welfare office.
The word is made up of the adjective 'sozial' (social) and the noun 'das Amt' (office/authority). An 'Amt' is an authority or public office.
Das Sozialamt ist eine wichtige soziale Einrichtung in Deutschland.
The social welfare office is an important social institution in Germany.
Pay attention to the prepositions: you go 'zum Sozialamt' (to the social welfare office; movement, direction), and you are or work 'beim Sozialamt' (at the social welfare office; location).
Sie musste zum Sozialamt gehen, um einen Antrag zu stellen.
She had to go to the social welfare office to submit an application.
Typical verbs in connection with the social welfare office are 'sich melden bei' (to report to/contact), 'einen Antrag stellen bei' (to submit an application to), or 'Hilfe beantragen bei' (to apply for assistance from).
Bedürftige können beim Sozialamt finanzielle Unterstützung beantragen.
People in need can apply for financial support at the social welfare office.
job center
'das Jobcenter' and 'das Sozialamt' are both authorities that can support people in difficult life situations. That is why they are easy to confuse. 'das Jobcenter' is especially connected with job searching and Bürgergeld. It helps people who are able to work but currently have no job or too little money. 'das Sozialamt' is more responsible for social assistance and other social benefits, for example when someone cannot work or needs special help. As a simple guideline: if it is about job searching and Bürgergeld, 'Jobcenter' fits; if it is generally about social assistance, 'Sozialamt' is more likely to fit.
Die ältere Nachbarin wendet sich an das Sozialamt, weil sie Hilfe im Alltag braucht.
The elderly neighbor contacts the social welfare office because she needs help in everyday life.
Bei der Bewerbung fragt er das Jobcenter nach einem Zuschuss für die Fahrtkosten.
For the job application, he asks the job center about a subsidy for travel costs.