TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

290. You bought a television in Germany. At home you unpack the television, but it does not work. The television is defective. What can you do?

Official German wording

Sie haben in Deutschland einen Fernseher gekauft. Zu Hause packen Sie den Fernseher aus, doch er funktioniert nicht. Der Fernseher ist kaputt. Was können Sie machen?

  1. eine Anzeige schreiben
  2. den Fernseher reklamieren
  3. das Gerät ungefragt austauschen
  4. die Garantie verlängern

Answer options

  1. file a criminal complaint (with the police)
  2. lodge a complaint about the television with the seller (exercise your statutory warranty rights)
  3. exchange the device without asking the seller
  4. extend the warranty

Correct answer

lodge a complaint about the television with the seller (exercise your statutory warranty rights)

Explanation

Under German sales law (Sections 434, 437, 439 BGB), when there is a lack of conformity the buyer has a primary claim to subsequent performance against the seller; one lodges a complaint and the seller may choose repair or replacement. A criminal complaint is irrelevant to this civil matter, a unilateral exchange is impermissible, and a (voluntary) guarantee must be distinguished from statutory warranty (Gewährleistung). Since 2022, consumer sales benefit from a 12-month reversal of the burden of proof (Section 477 BGB), implementing Directive (EU) 2019/771. Consumer protection and legal certainty reflect the constitutional principles of the rule of law and the social state (Article 20 Basic Law) and Germany’s integration into the EU (Article 23).

Official sources

The German questions come from the original BAMF catalog for the Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland. Translations and explanations are study aids; verify legal details in the official sources.