ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch

Okay kiddo, so bürgerliches gesetzbuch is a really big book of rules that adults in Germany use to know how to behave and what is okay or not okay to do in different situations. It's like a guidebook for grown-ups.

You know how there are rules for playing games like tag or hide-and-seek? Well, there are rules for grown-up games too, like buying a house or getting married. These rules are all written down in the bürgerliches gesetzbuch.

Let's say you want to buy a toy from the store. The rules in the bürgerliches gesetzbuch say that the store has to tell you how much the toy costs and cannot trick you into paying more than you should. If you want to return the toy, the rules say you have a certain amount of time to do it and the store has to give you your money back.

The bürgerliches gesetzbuch has rules for all sorts of things, like renting an apartment, starting a business, or getting a divorce. It helps grown-ups know what is fair and what is not, and helps keep everyone safe and happy.

Does that help, kiddo?