De Wunnengsmaart
B2The housing market
A B2 text on why housing in Luxembourg is so expensive and what it means for young people. Read first, guess the meaning, then reveal the translation.
Text
Kaum en Thema gëtt zu Lëtzebuerg esou vill diskutéiert wéi de Wunnengsmaart. D'Präisser fir Haiser an Appartementer sinn an de leschte Joerzéngten esou staark geklommen, datt vill Leit sech de Dram vun engem eegene Doheem net méi leeschte kënnen. An der Stad Lëtzebuerg muss een dacks méi wéi zéngdausend Euro fir ee Quadratmeter bezuelen.
▸Translation
Hardly any topic is discussed as much in Luxembourg as the housing market. The prices for houses and flats have risen so sharply over the past decades that many people can no longer afford the dream of a home of their own. In Luxembourg City you often have to pay more than ten thousand euros for one square metre.
Wien net kafe kann, muss lounen, mä och d'Loyeren sinn héich. Eng jonk Persoun, déi hir éischt Wunneng sicht, bezilt fir e klengt Appartement séier eng grouss Zomm all Mount. Vill Studenten a jonk Salariéen deele sech dofir eng Wunneng, fir d'Käschten ze deelen. Trotzdem geet e groussen Deel vum Loun all Mount just fir d'Wunnen drop.
▸Translation
Whoever cannot buy has to rent, but rents are high too. A young person looking for their first flat quickly pays a large sum each month for a small apartment. Many students and young employees therefore share a flat in order to share the costs. Even so, a large part of one's wage goes on housing alone every month.
Well d'Präisser am Land esou héich sinn, plënneren ëmmer méi jonk Familljen iwwer d'Grenz an d'Nopeschlänner. Do fanne si méi grouss Haiser fir manner Geld, mä si musse laang Weeër op d'Aarbecht an de Kaf huelen. Fir munch Leit ass dat eng schwéier Entscheedung, well si domat hir Heemecht an hir Frënn hannerloossen.
▸Translation
Because prices in the country are so high, more and more young families move across the border into the neighbouring countries. There they find bigger houses for less money, but they have to accept long commutes to work. For some people this is a hard decision, because in doing so they leave behind their home and their friends.
D'Grënn fir dës Kris sinn villfälteg. Lëtzebuerg ass e klengt Land, an et gëtt net vill Plaz fir nei ze bauen. Zur selwechter Zäit wiisst d'Bevëlkerung ganz séier, well all Joer vill nei Leit ukommen. Doriwwer eraus gehéiert vill Bauland e puer wéinege Besëtzer, déi dacks waarden, bis d'Präisser nach weider klammen, éier si verkafen.
▸Translation
The reasons for this crisis are manifold. Luxembourg is a small country, and there is not much space to build new housing. At the same time the population is growing very fast, because many new people arrive every year. On top of that, a lot of building land belongs to a few owners, who often wait until prices climb still further before they sell.
De Staat probéiert, mat verschiddene Mesuren géint d'Kris ze kämpfen. Et gëtt finanziell Hëllef fir jonk Keefer, an d'Gemenge solle méi bezuelbar Wunnengen bauen. Vill Leit fannen awer, datt dës Mesurë net duerginn an datt sech eppes Grondsätzleches muss änneren. De Wunnengsmaart bleift esou eng vun de gréisste politesche Erausfuerderunge vum Land.
▸Translation
The state tries to fight the crisis with various measures. There is financial help for young buyers, and the municipalities are supposed to build more affordable housing. Many people, however, feel that these measures are not enough and that something fundamental has to change. The housing market thus remains one of the biggest political challenges in the country.
Glossary
- housing market
- price
- to afford something
- rent
- to rent (as a tenant)
- square metre
- to move (house)
- homeland, home
- to accept, to put up with
- building land
- owner
- affordable
Comprehension
Wéi vill kascht een Quadratmeter an der Stad Lëtzebuerg dacks?
How much does one square metre often cost in Luxembourg City?
Wat maache vill jonk Familljen, well d'Wunnengspräisser am Land esou héich sinn?
What do many young families do because housing prices in the country are so high?
Firwat waarde munch Besëtzer vu Bauland, éier si verkafen?
Vill Studenten a jonk Salariéen deele sech eng Wunneng, fir d' ze deelen.
Many students and young employees share a flat in order to share the ___.