What are the German terms used for and in school? If you are going to school in a German-speaking country, you will need to become familiar with these terms.
You will see the English term and the matching German one.
School and Education Glossary (A to L)
A
A, B, C, D, F (see grades/marks below)
ABCs, alphabetdas ABC
absence (school)das Fehlen
unexcused absenceunentschuldigtes Fehlen
absentabwesend
absent from class/schoolin der Stunde/Schule fehlen
to be absent, missingfehlen
She's absent today.Sie fehlt heute.
Why were you absent?Warum hast du gefehlt?
Kultur:The GermanAbitur(das) is a high school diploma or secondary leaving certificate (A-level), received after passing a written and oral examination during the 12th or 13th year of school (depending on the state).Die Maturais the Austrian equivalent. Also, see "graduation" below.
academicakademisch,wissenschaftlich
academic advisorder Studienberater/die Studienberaterin
academic yeardas Studienjahr,das Schuljahr
academically gifted/talentedintellektuell begabt
academydie Akademie(-n),die Privatschule
administration (office)die Verwaltung
after schoolnach der Schule
before schoolvor der Schule
algebradie Algebra
alphabetdas ABC,das Alphabet
alphabetically, in alphabetical orderalphabetisch,nach dem Alphabet
answer (v.)antworten,beantworten
answer (n.)die Antwort(-en)
Er hat die Frage beantwortet.
He answered the question.
appleder Apfel(Äpfel)
art (subject)die Kunst,der Kunstunterricht
askfragen
ask a questioneine Frage stellen
assignmentdie Aufgabe(-n)
athletic fieldder Sportplatz(-plätze)
athleticsder Sport(sing.)
Kultur:Athletics in German schools is generally limited to P.E. and intramural sports. It is rare to have school teams that compete against each other. Competitive sports tend to be done in clubs rather than in school, which is more academic.
attend (school) (die Schule)besuchen
compulsory attendancedie Schulpflicht
he has a poor attendance recorder fehlt oft(in der Schule)
B
B.A./B.S. (see "Bachelor of.." below)
bachelor's degreeder Bakkalaureus,der Bachelor
Bachelor of Artsder Bakkalaureus der philosophischen Fakultät
Bachelor of Scienceder Bakkalaureus der wissenschaftlichen Fakultät
Kultur:It is difficult to compare the different academic degrees in Germany with those in the Anglo-American system. An American "bachelor's degree" is closer to the GermanMagisterabschluss, even thoughMagistertranslates as "master." In a recent effort to become more international, some German universities now offer a B.A. degree in some fields, usually for six semesters of study. Also see the entries for a degree, M.A. and doctorate.
ballpoint pender Kuli(-s),der Kugelschreiber(-)
band (music)die Blaskapelle(-n),die Band(-s)
binder (loose-leaf)das Ringbuch(-bücher)
biology (subject)die Bio,die Biologie
biology teacherder/die Biologielehrer/in
blackboard, chalkboarddie Tafel(-)
boarding schooldas Internat(-e)
bookdas Buch(Bücher)
textbookdas Schulbuch/Lehrbuch
break, recessdie Pause(-n)
after the breaknach der Pause
short/long breakkleine/große Pause
das Pausebrotsandwich eaten during the break
bus, coachder Bus(-se)
school busder Schulbus
C
cafeteriadie Mensa(Mensen) (univ.),der Speisesaal
Kultur:Most German students go home for lunch around 12:30 or 1:00, so few schools have a cafeteria. In eastern Germany, it is more common to have a school lunch. At the university, theMensaoffers low-cost meals for students and faculty.
calculatorder Rechner
pocket calculatorder Taschenrechner
school calculatorder Schulrechner
scientific calculatorwissenschaftlicher Rechner
calculusder Kalkül,die Integralrechnung
chairder Stuhl(Stühle)
chair (person), department head (m.)der Abteilungsleiter(-),der Fachleiter
chair (person), department head (f.)die Abteilungsleiterin(-),die Fachleiterin
chalkdie Kreide,der Kreidestift
a piece of chalkeine Kreide
cheerleaderder/die Cheerleader(-)
Kultur:Since interscholastic sports competition is rare in Germany, there is no need for cheerleaders. Although some American football teams in Europe have volunteer cheerleaders, most Germans only know about cheerleading from Hollywood movies and TV.
chemistry (class)die Chemie,der Chemieunterricht
class (grade level)die Klasse(-n)
German classDeutschunterricht,Deutschstunde
the class of 2003der Jahrgang 2003
in the 10th grade/classin der 10. Klasse(zehnten)
Kultur:A GermanKlasseis a group of students that stay together for several years of school. Somewhat like a "homeroom" class, the students elect aKlassensprecher/into represent the class. Classes have names like9aor10breferring to each class group within a grade level. A teacher who teaches two or more courses within a class group is theKlassenlehrer, sort of like a "homeroom teacher." Note: A class of instruction isUnterrichtorUnterrichtsstunde, not Klasse, but it is held in aKlassenzimmer.
class register, roll bookdas Klassenbuch
classmateder Klassenkamerad(-en)
classroomdas Klassenzimmer(-)
clockdie Uhr(-en)
coach, trainerder Trainer
coach (v.)trainieren
collegedie Fachhochschule(FH) (-n),das College(Engl. pron.)
College of Educationpädagogische Hochschule
Kultur:The Anglo-American term "college" is usuallyHochschuleorUniversitätin German. University departments or schools ("College of Arts and Science") are calledFachbereicheor Fakultätenin German.
computerder Computer(-),der Rechner(-)
computer sciencedie Informatik
correct (adj.)richtig
correct (v.)korrigieren
to correct testsKlassenarbeiten korrigieren
courseder Kurs(-e),der Unterricht
honors courseder Leistungskurs(-e)
D
degree (univ.)der(akademische)Grad
Kultur:One should not directly compare the different academic degrees in Germany with those in the Anglo-American system. Besides the degree differences, the university systems in the U.S., Britain, and Germany are very different in other ways.
departmentdie Abteilung(-en),der Fachbereich(univ.)
department chair/head (m.)der Abteilungsleiter(-),der Fachleiter
department chair/head (f.)die Abteilungsleiterin(-nen),die Fachleiterin
deskder Schreibtisch(-e) (teacher, office)
deskdie Schulbank(student)
dictionarydas Wörterbuch(-bücher)
didacticdidaktisch,lehrhaft
doctoral dissertationdie Doktorarbeit
doctorate, Ph.D,die Doktorwürde,die Doktorarbeit
person with a doctor's degreeder Doktorand
She's still doing her doctorate.Sie sitzt immer noch an ihrer Doktorarbeit.
Kultur:Someone with a Ph.D. orDoktorwürdeis entitled to be addressed asHerr DoktororFrau Doktor. In the old days, a woman married to aDoktorwas also calledFrau Doktor.
E
educationdie Bildung,das Bildungswesen,die Erziehung
College of Educationpädagogische Hochschule
education(al) systemdas Bildungssystem,das Bildungswesen
educationalBildungs- (in compounds),pädagogisch,lehrreich
educational (school-related)schulisch
educatorder Pädagoge/die Pädagogin,der Erzieher
elective (subject)das Wahlfach(-fächer)
Italian is an elective subject.Italianisch ist ein Wahlfach.
Math is a required subject.Mathe ist ein Pflichtfach.
elementary school, grade schooldie Grundschule,die Volksschule(Austria)
elementary teacher, grade school teacherder/die Grundschullehrer(in)
e-maildie E-Mail(-s)
to e-mail, send an e-maileine Mail absenden/schicken
eraser (rubber)der Radiergummi(-s)
eraser (for chalk)der Schwamm(Schwämme)
examdas Examen(-),die Klassenarbeit(-en)
final examdas Schlussexamen(-)
finalsdie Abschlussprüfung(-en) (univ.)
F
facultyder Lehrkörper,das Lehrerkollegium
felt-tip pen, markerder Filzstift(-e)
file (paper)die Akte(-n)
file (computer)die Datei(-en),das File(-s)
file folderder Aktenordner(-) (paper)
file folderdie Mappe(-n) (loose-leaf)
file folderder Ordner(computer/paper)
final examdas Schlussexamen(-)
finalsdie Abschlussprüfung(-en) (univ.)
folderder Ordner(-),der Hefter(-),die Mappe(-n)
foreign languagedie Fremdsprache(-n)
Kultur:In German schools, the most popularFremdsprachenareEnglischandFranzösisch (French). Latin, Russian, Italian and Spanish are also offered in some schools. At theGymnasium, students usually take two foreign languages, the "major" one for 8 years and a "minor" for 5 years, which means they become quite proficient. The typical U.S. practice of taking two years of a foreign language is a joke, and less than 1/3 of American students even do that.
French (class) (das)Französisch,der Französischunterricht
freshman (9th grader)amer. Schüler oder Schülerin in der neunten Klasse
Fridayder Freitag
on Friday(s)am Freitag,freitags
funding, funds (for educ., etc.)die Mittel/Gelder(pl.)
basic fundingdie Grundmittel(pl.)
public fundsöffentliche Mittel/Gelder(pl.)
private funding (for univ. research)die Drittmittel(pl.)
G
geographydie Erdkunde,die Geografie
geometrydie Geometrie
German (class) (das)Deutsch,der Deutschunterricht
globeder Globus,der Erdball
grade, markdie Note(-n),die Zensur(-en)
She has bad marks/grades.Sie hat schlechte Noten/Zensuren.
She has good marks/grades.Sie hat gute Noten/Zensuren.
He got an A.Er hat eine Eins bekommen.
He got an F.Er hat eine Fünf/Sechs bekommen.
German grading system:A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, F=5, F-=6
grade (level, class)die Klasse
in the 9th gradein der 9. (neunten) Klasse
grade school, elementary schooldie Grundschule
graduate (v.)das Abitur ablegen(high school),absolvieren,promovieren(Ph.D.),die Abschlussprüfung bestehen(high school)
graduate (n.)der Akademiker/die Akademikerin
high school graduateder Schulabgänger/die Schulabgängerin,der Abiturient/die Abiturientin
graduate studentein Student oder eine Studentin mit abgeschlossenem Studium
Kultur:The German university system does not have the same divisions between graduate and post-graduate study found in the U.S. There is no German word for "graduate student." It has to be explained asein Student oder eine Studentin mit abgeschlossenem Studium.
gym, gymnasiumdie Turnhalle
gym (class)der Sport,der Sportunterricht
gym/P.E. teacher (m.)der Sportlehrer(-)
gym/P.E. teacher (f.)die Sportlehrerin(-nen)
H
hall(way)der Gang,der Flur
health, hygiene (subj.)die Gesundheitspflege
higher educationdie Hochschulbildung,das Hochschulwesen
high schooldie Sekundarschule(-n)
academic high school (in German Europe)das Gymnasium
Kultur:There are many kinds of German secondary schools, each with its own curriculum and purpose. AGymnasiumhas an academic curriculum leading todas Abitur(die Maturain Austria, Switz.) and college. ABerufschuleoffers a combination of trade skill training and academics. Other school types include:Realschule,GesamtschuleandHauptschule.
high school diplomadas Abitur,die Matura
historydie Geschichte
homeworkdie Hausaufgaben(pl.)
honors courseder Leistungskurs(-e)
honors/dean's listeine Liste der besten SchülerInnen/StundentInnen
with honorscum laude
I
inkdie Tinte(-n)
institutedas Institut(-e),die Hochschule(-n)
instruct, teachunterrichten
instructionder Unterricht
math class/instructionder Matheunterricht
instructorder Lehrer
K
kindergarten der Kindergarten(-gärten)
L
language labdas Sprachlabor(-s)
learnlernen
letter (of alphabet)der Buchstabe(-n)
lockerdas Schliessfach(-fächer)
Kultur:European schools, including Germany and Austria, don't have book lockers for students like those found in American secondary schools.
loose-leaf binderdas Ringbuch(-bücher)
loose-leaf folderdie Mappe(-n)
