A2 · 53 words
School and university in German
Marks that run the wrong way, a school system with three tracks, and the words a course enrolment is made of.
Two facts about the German system are worth having before the vocabulary, because both surprise people. Marks run from 1 to 6 with 1 as the best — eine Eins is top and eine Fünf is a fail, which is exactly the opposite of a percentage. And secondary school splits into tracks at around ten, so Gymnasium, Realschule and Hauptschule are different schools rather than different classes in one. Studieren is university only. A school pupil lernt or geht zur Schule; saying ich studiere in der Schule is one of the reliable giveaways of a translated sentence.
The words
Verb (15)
bestehento pass; to consist ofVerbB1
Inseparable, so no ge-. Also "bestehen aus", to consist of.
durchfallento failVerbB1
Separable, with "sein".
übento practiseVerbA2
The noun is "die Übung".
erklärento explainVerbA1
Inseparable: no ge- in the participle.
wiederholento repeat, to reviseVerbA2
Inseparable here, so the stress is on -hol-.
studierento study at universityVerbA2
University only. No ge- in the participle.
sich anmeldento register, to sign upVerbA2
Separable and reflexive.
übersetzento translateVerbB1
Inseparable here. Separable it means to ferry across.
aufschreibento write downVerbA2
Separable.
nachschlagento look upVerbB1
Separable and strong: du schlägst nach, nachgeschlagen.
konzentrierento concentrateVerbB1
Reflexive, and takes "auf" plus the accusative.
korrigierento correct, to markVerbA2
verbessernto improve; to correctVerbB1
sich verbessern: to get better.
verteilento distribute, to hand outVerbB1
aufnehmento take in, to admit; to recordVerbB1
Separable: nimmt auf, nahm auf, aufgenommen.
Noun (34)
der Schülerpupil, school studentNounA2
Plural: die Schüler. Feminine: die Schülerin.
der Unterrichtlessons, teachingNounA2
No plural — a collective for all the teaching.
die Klasseclass, year groupNounA2
Plural: die Klassen. Also a class of train ticket.
das FachsubjectNounA2
Plural: die Fächer. Also a compartment or a drawer.
die Notemark, gradeNounA2
Plural: die Noten, which also means sheet music.
die PrüfungexamNounA2
Plural: die Prüfungen. Feminine, because of -ung.
die HausaufgabehomeworkNounA2
Usually plural: die Hausaufgaben.
der StundenplantimetableNounA2
Plural: die Stundenpläne.
das Zeugnisreport, certificateNounB1
Plural: die Zeugnisse. Also a reference from an employer.
das Gymnasiumgrammar schoolNounB1
Plural: die Gymnasien. Leads to the Abitur and university.
das Abiturschool leaving examNounB1
No plural. The qualification for university entrance.
die UniversitätuniversityNounA2
Plural: die Universitäten. Usually shortened to "die Uni".
das Studiumdegree course, studiesNounB1
Plural: die Studien, which means something rather different.
die VorlesunglectureNounB1
Plural: die Vorlesungen. German lectures traditionally start at a quarter past — the "akademisches Viertel".
das SeminarseminarNounB1
Plural: die Seminare.
das Semestersemester, termNounB1
Plural: die Semester. German universities run two per year.
der Kurscourse, classNounA2
Plural: die Kurse. Also an exchange rate.
die BibliotheklibraryNounA2
Plural: die Bibliotheken.
das WörterbuchdictionaryNounA2
Plural: die Wörterbücher.
das WortwordNounA1
Two plurals: die Wörter for individual words, die Worte for connected speech.
der SatzsentenceNounA2
Plural: die Sätze. Also a set and a movement of a symphony.
die RegelruleNounA2
Plural: die Regeln. "in der Regel" means "as a rule".
der Fehlermistake, errorNounA2
Plural: die Fehler.
die BedeutungmeaningNounB1
Plural: die Bedeutungen.
die AussprachepronunciationNounB1
No plural in this sense. Also means a frank conversation.
die GrammatikgrammarNounA2
Plural: die Grammatiken, meaning grammar books.
der TexttextNounA2
Plural: die Texte.
das Referatpresentation, paperNounB1
Plural: die Referate.
die Zeileline (of text)NounA2
Plural: die Zeilen.
der Buchstabeletter (of the alphabet)NounA2
Plural: die Buchstaben.
die SchwierigkeitdifficultyNounB1
Plural: die Schwierigkeiten.
die Formulierungwording, phrasingNounB2
Plural: die Formulierungen.
die LückegapNounB1
Plural: die Lücken.
die KlarheitclarityNounB2
No plural.
Adjective (3)
unverständlichincomprehensibleAdjectiveB1
unnötigunnecessaryAdjectiveB1
unverändertunchangedAdjectiveB1
Phrase (1)
die Note einstop markPhraseB1
German marks run 1 to 6 with 1 as the best.
This list belongs to School, study and language — 20 lists and 836 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 53 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.