paris7

I know in Europe when an apt. is listed as a third floor walk-up it's actually four flights up stairs. In the US, where I live, we have basement, ground or first floor, second and so on. In Europe, I've noticed ground floor, which is entry floor, and 1st floor would be up two flights of stairs. What happened to the level in-between and what is it called?.

Michael

The European first floor is the American second.

fnarf999

Yes. You are confused; a European third floor is not up four flights of stairs, it's up three.

Ground floor is where you enter the buliding. First floor is up one flight. Second floor, up two flights, etc.

In America, the ground floor IS the first floor, the second floor is one flight of stairs up, the third floor two flights up, etc.

logos999

floors in between are "Mezzanin", "Zwischengeschoss" in German or if it's above or below ground floor (and still not first floor) it's "Hochparterre" or "Tiefparterre".

grandmere

In France the ground floor is called the "Rez-de-Chaussee".

paris7

Okay, so why do so many ads say if it's "a second floor walk-up, up three flights" or "third floor walk-up, up four flights"? and what is the European equivalent to an American first floor?

kenderina

If they say they have "a second floor walk-up, up three flights" it is usually because they have what we call in Spanish "entresuelo" (in other places they call it mezzanine floor). Here in Spain sometimes there are flats also on it but the normal thing is just they are the upper floor of the business in the ground floor or are occupied by offices. Then the first floor is actually the second floor (the building where I live is like that).
But the equivalent of the American first floor is always the ground floor

paris7

Thanks Kenderina and all for your replies. It makes more sense now.