registry office
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registry office
A government office responsible for the official registration of births, marriages, civil partnerships, and deaths, and where civil marriage ceremonies are performed.
Sie haben nur auf dem Standesamt geheiratet und auf eine kirchliche Trauung verzichtet.
They got married only at the registry office and chose not to have a church wedding.
The word is made up of 'Stand' and 'Amt'. 'Stand' here refers to 'Personenstand' (civil status, e.g., single, married), and 'Amt' is a government office. So it is the 'Amt für den Personenstand' (office for civil status).
Für die Anmeldung der Geburt müssen die Eltern zum Standesamt gehen.
To register the birth, the parents have to go to the registry office.
In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, only a marriage at the registry office is legally valid. A church wedding is a private ceremony with no legal effect.
Bevor sie in der Kirche feiern, muss das Paar auf dem Standesamt heiraten.
Before they celebrate in the church, the couple has to get married at the registry office.
The verb 'heiraten' (to marry) is often combined with the adverb 'standesamtlich' (in a civil ceremony). You can also say that someone gets married 'auf dem Standesamt' (at the registry office).
Mein Bruder heiratet nächsten Monat standesamtlich.
My brother is having a civil wedding next month.
town hall
The Rathaus is the building where a civil marriage ceremony can take place. The Standesamt is the responsible authority that officially registers the marriage and conducts the ceremony. Rathaus is the appropriate term for the venue, while Standesamt is the appropriate term for the responsible office.
Das Standesamt vollzieht unsere Trauung um elf Uhr.
The registry office is conducting our wedding ceremony at eleven o'clock.
Unsere Trauung findet um elf Uhr im Rathaus statt.
Our civil wedding ceremony is taking place at the town hall at eleven o'clock.
