German Phrase
Der Mietvertrag läuft über zwölf Monate.
Meaning
The lease agreement is valid for a period of twelve months. In German, 'laufen über' is a common way to express the duration of a contract or subscription.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to state the fixed term of a rental contract, a subscription, or any agreement that lasts exactly one year.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DerMietvertragläuftüberzwölfMonate.
Der (definite article)
Definite article in nominative masculine singular, matching 'Mietvertrag'.
Mietvertrag (noun)
Masculine noun meaning 'rental agreement' or 'lease contract'.
läuft (verb laufen)
3rd person singular present of 'laufen' used idiomatically to mean 'to run/last' for contracts.
über (preposition)
Preposition with accusative indicating a period of time: 'over' or 'for'.
zwölf (cardinal number)
Cardinal number 'twelve'; stays unchanged before a plural noun.
Monate (noun, plural)
Plural of 'Monat' (month) in accusative case after 'über'.
🗨In Conversation
Wie lange läuft unser Mietvertrag?
How long does our lease last?
Der Mietvertrag läuft über zwölf Monate.
The lease runs for twelve months.
✕Common Mistakes
Der Mietvertrag läuft für zwölf Monate.
While 'für' also means 'for', the idiomatic expression for contract duration is 'läuft über'.
Der Mietvertrag ist über zwölf Monate.
Using 'ist' changes the meaning to a static description rather than the contract's running period.
Der Mietvertrag läuft über zwölf Monat.
After 'über' the noun must be plural because it refers to a period of multiple months.
↔Alternatives
Der Mietvertrag hat eine Laufzeit von zwölf Monaten.
The lease has a term of twelve months.
Der Mietvertrag ist für ein Jahr abgeschlossen.
The lease is concluded for one year.
Der Mietvertrag gilt zwölf Monate lang.
The lease is valid for twelve months.
Cultural Tip
In Germany, most residential leases are either indefinite or fixed for 12 months. A fixed‑term lease (befristeter Mietvertrag) must be explicitly stated in the contract, and the landlord cannot terminate it before the term ends without a valid reason. Using 'läuft über' sounds natural and neutral, suitable for both formal written contracts and everyday conversation.