Countries have different ways of denoting floors in a building. If you’re used to one system, it may be confusing to encounter another one as you travel abroad. This article might help you with that.

The European method of naming floor levels starts with zero (0). Zero is the ground floor, and the one above it the first floor (1), two flights up the second floor and so on. 

Here follows a simple list of floor systems in some countries. And since this is Language Day, we give you the word for floor as well as for elevator - partners in crime so to speak. We stick to the floors above the ground floor, so no cellars or basement floors here.

In elevators the green coloration of a button is to indicate that this is the floor with the quickest route to the outside of the building. It may have a letter B, E, G, L, P or U on it - or some other alphabet! Or the number 0 or 1. It all depends where you are! Still, if you do get it wrong, luckily you can always press another button!

So, let us go through some of the countries around the world. Hopefully this comes in handy at some point!

AUSTRALIA ?? Floor. The first floor is one flight up. When you need to get out of the building, press G (ground floor) in an elevator (elevator).

BELGIUM ?? Etage. Ground floor is rez-de-chaussée (RCH in an elevator, i.e. ascenseur), and the floor above it is le premier étage.

CANADA ?? Floor. The ground floor is either first floor (1), lobby (L), ground floor (G) or Rez-de-chausée (RC). One level above the ground is second floor. So to get out of the building, you would press either 1, L, G or RC in an elevator (elevator/ascenseur).

CHINA ?? 层 (Céng). The sign for elevator is 电梯 (diàntī). The ground floor is the first floor, 一楼 (Yī lóu).

DENMARK ?? Etage. The ground floor is called stueetage, the first floor is called første sal. To get out of the building, press stue in an elevator (elevator/lift).

ENGLAND ??????? Floor. In British English, the entrance level is called the Ground Floor, shortened 1F. And the floor above, i.e. one flight above ground level, is called the First Floor (shortened 2F). Confusing?

ESTONIA ?? Korrus. In Estonia, the ground floor would be esimene korrus, and the first floor above the ground floor, teine korrus. In an elevator (lift) you would press 1 to get out of the building.

FINLAND ?? Kerros (abbreviated krs). In apartment buildings, the ground floor is 1st floor (ensimmäinen kerros) if there are apartments there. If not, the 1st floor starts above the ground floor. Got it? In business buildings, the ground floor is the 1st floor. In an elevator (hissi) P stands for Pohjakerros (ground floor), so press that if you want to get out of the building. Though it might also be E (entrance).

FRANCE ?? Etage. The French (and most other Europeans) don’t count the ground floor of a building when numbering its stories - whereas Americans do. Ground floor is rez-de-chaussée (RCH in an elevator, i.e. ascenseur), and the floor above it is le premier étage. Check also Taking an elevator in France.

GERMANY ?? Stock/Geschoss. The ground floor is der erste Stock, or Erdgeschoss. The one above t would be der zweite Stock. D in an elevator stands for das Dachgeschoss, i.e. top floor or penthouse.

GREECE ?? όροφος (pronounced orofos). In Greece the ground floor is ισόγειο, and the first floor is called πρώτος όροφος. The second floor is δεύτερος όροφος. To get back to the ground floor, you would press 0 in a Greek elevator.

HOLLAND ?? Verdieping. The ground floor is called begane grond, and the first floor (the one above it) eerste vierdieping.

ICELAND ?? Hæð (pronounced heith). The ground floor is called jarðhæð, and the one above it fyrstu hæð. Still, in an elevator (lyfta) you would need to press 1 to get to the entrance level of a building.

IRELAND ?? Floor. When you need to get out of the building, press G (ground floor) in an elevator (lift) for the B button is for basement.

ISRAEL ?? קוֹמָה - The Israeli floor system. If you want to get out of a building, you need to press the sign that looks like a mirrow image of the letter C. The Hebrew sign for elevator is מַעֲלִית

ITALY ?? Piano. The ground floor is called piano terra. And like in most of Europe, the first floor is the first level above ground level, primo piano in Italian. To get out of a building, you generally need to press E in the elevator (ascensore).

JAPAN ?? Kai. That is also the counter for floors in Japanese. i.e. the ending -kai/gai. So the first floor would be ikkai (1階), the second one nikai (2階)), and the rest you can see here: Tofugu. Japan follows the US system in naming floors. So Ground Floor (or lobby ロビー, robii) is the first floor (1階）, and the one above would be 2F (2階) Japan Guide. To get out of the building, press 1 in an elevator (エレベーター).

KOREA ?? 층 (pronounced Cheung). The first floor is the same as ground floor, 1층. To get out of a building, press 1 in an elevator (엘리베이터 ellibeiteo). Taking an elevator in Korea. & Korean Magic Elevator Buttons

NORWAY ?? Etasje. The first floor is called første etasje, To get out of a building, press U (utgang) in the elevator (heis).

PORTUGAL ?? Andar. The ground floor is called rés-do-chão. To get out, press R/C in the elevator (elevador).

RUSSIA ?? этаж (pronounced etazh). Buildings in Russia (and former USSR countries, like Estonia) often use the North American scheme, but call the floor immediately below the ground floor “0”.

SPAIN ?? Piso/Planta.The entrance floor is called entresol, so press E in an elevator if you want to get out of the building. But it may also be called planta baja (ground floor).

SWEDEN ?? Trappa/våning. The entrance level is called bottenvåning (B in the elevator, i.e. hiss), and above it you have 1 trappa, 2 trappa, etc. In letters, tr stands for trappa.

UNITED STATES ?? Floor. In the United States, the entrance level is called the ground floor or lobby, and the one above it is called the first floor. In an elevator L stands for lobby.

Lastly, Ours by Taylor Swift - with elevator moods, office hours and lots of love:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ34LlaIk88

Updated 29.12.2021