Life at School (AQA GCSE German): Revision Note
Exam code: 8662
Life at school
When talking about 'Life at school', you could mention:
what subjects you study
your teachers and other people at school
what a typical school day looks like
what facilities your school has
You can add opinion phrases, adjectives and comparatives to say what you like and dislike about life at school.
Life at school: vocabulary
Some useful words and phrases to talk about the topic of life at school are:
Mein Lieblingsfach ist… - My favourite subject is…
Ich lerne - I learn / I study
Es gibt… - There is… / There are…
Ich trage ... - I wear ...
Note: studieren means to study at university. For school-level study, use lernen.
Category | German | Part of speech | English |
|---|---|---|---|
School subjects | Biologie | n (f) | biology |
Chemie | n (f) | chemistry | |
Erdkunde | n (f) | geography | |
Geschichte | n (f) | history | |
Kunst | n (f) | art | |
Mathematik / Mathe | n (f) | maths | |
Musik | n (f) | music | |
Physik | n (f) | physics | |
Religion | n (f) | religious studies | |
Sport | n (m) | PE, sport | |
Sprache | n (f) | language | |
Technologie / Technik | n (f) | technology | |
das Fach | n (nt) | subject | |
School facilities | die Kantine | n (f) | canteen, cafeteria |
das Gebäude | n (nt) | building | |
die Schule | n (f) | school | |
die Toilette | n (f) | toilet | |
People at school | der Direktor | n (m) | headteacher, principal |
der Lehrer, die Lehrerin | n (m), n (f) | teacher | |
der Schüler | n (m) | pupil, school student (m) | |
die Schülerin | n (f) | pupil, school student (f) | |
The school day | die Ferien | n (pl) | holidays, school break |
die Hausaufgaben | n (pl) | homework | |
die Klasse | n (f) | class | |
die Klassenarbeit | n (f) | school test | |
die Leistung | n (f) | performance, achievement | |
das Mobbing | n (nt) | bullying | |
die Note | n (f) | mark, grade | |
die Pause | n (f) | break | |
die Prüfung | n (f) | exam, test | |
die Regel | n (f) | rule | |
die Stunde | n (f) | lesson, period | |
der Unterricht | n (m) | lesson | |
die Uniform | n (f) | uniform | |
das Zeugnis | n (nt) | report |
Higher tier only
These words are only required for Higher tier.
German | Part of speech | English | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
der Abschluss | n (m) | school leaving certificate, degree, diploma | Welchen Abschluss möchtest du machen? | What qualification do you want to do? |
das Abitur | n (nt) | school leaving exam, A levels | Nach dem Abitur möchte ich studieren. | After my A levels I would like to go to university. |
der Austausch | n (m) | exchange | Ich nehme an einem Schulaustausch teil. | I am taking part in a school exchange. |
die Grundschule | n (f) | primary school | Als Kind bin ich auf die Grundschule gegangen. | As a child I went to primary school. |
das Gymnasium | n (nt) | grammar school | Ich gehe auf ein Gymnasium. | I go to a grammar school. |
die Lehre | n (f) | apprenticeship | Nach der Schule möchte er eine Lehre machen. | After school he would like to do an apprenticeship. |
die Oberstufe | n (f) | sixth form | In der Oberstufe hat man mehr Freiheit. | In sixth form you have more freedom. |
die Turnhalle | n (f) | gymnasium | Wir haben Sport in der Turnhalle. | We have PE in the gymnasium. |
unterrichten | v | to teach | Mein Lehrer unterrichtet Deutsch. | My teacher teaches German. |
There are many differences between the German and English school system:
Students generally don’t wear a uniform to school
They buy their own stationery supplies (e.g. exercise books, pens, folders)
Schools often finish early (around 1–2 pm)
After primary school, students attend secondary school from around age 10
There are different types of secondary school:
das Gymnasium (more academic school, leads to university)
die Realschule (mid-level secondary school)
die Hauptschule (more vocational)
die Gesamtschule (comprehensive school)
The grading system in Germany goes from 1 (very good) to 6 (very poor)
If a student's Zeugnis (report) at the end of the school year shows failing grades, they may have to repeat the entire year - a practice known as sitzen bleiben, which literally means 'to stay seated'
Unlock more, it's free!
Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams
the (exam) results speak for themselves:
Was this revision note helpful?
