The school day (AQA GCSE German): Revision Notes
The school day (Der Schultag)
Understanding how to talk about your school day is essential for GCSE German. This topic covers the vocabulary and phrases you need to describe your daily school routine, including lessons, breaks, and timing.
Essential vocabulary
Learning these key words will help you discuss your school schedule confidently in German. Pay attention to the gender of nouns (marked with m/f) as this affects which articles you use.
Gender matters in German! The gender of nouns determines which articles (der, die, das) you use. Masculine nouns use "der", feminine nouns use "die". This is crucial for accurate German as it affects sentence structure and meaning.
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| der Schultag | the school day | masculine noun |
| der Club (m) | club | |
| die Mittagspause (f) | lunch break | feminine noun |
| die Pause (f) | break | feminine noun |
| der Stundenplan (m) | timetable | masculine noun |
| der Unterricht (m) | teaching | masculine noun |
| die Unterrichtsstunde (f) | lesson | feminine noun |
| anfangen | to start | separable verb |
| beginnen | to begin | |
| dauern | to last | |
| enden | to end | |
| dann/danach | then, after that | time connectors |
| die erste/zweite/letzte Stunde | the first/second/last lesson | |
| nach der Pause | after break | |
| nach der Mittagspause | after lunch break | |
| viermal pro Woche | four times a week | frequency expression |
Days of the week
German days of the week are all masculine nouns. When saying "on Monday", use "am Montag" (the 'am' contracts from 'an dem').
Quick tip: All German days of the week are masculine nouns. This means they all use "der" as their article. When talking about doing something "on" a particular day, always use "am" before the day name - for example, "am Montag" means "on Monday".
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Montag | Monday |
| Dienstag | Tuesday |
| Mittwoch | Wednesday |
| Donnerstag | Thursday |
| Freitag | Friday |
| Samstag | Saturday |
| Sonntag | Sunday |
Example sentences with translations
These sentences show how to describe your school routine using the vocabulary above:
Worked Example: Describing Your School Day
Here are practical sentences you can use and adapt for your own school routine:
German: "Montags haben wir Wissenschaft."
English: "On Mondays we have science."
German: "Morgens kommen wir um 8:45 Uhr an."
English: "In the mornings we arrive at 8:45 am."
German: "In der Mittagspause gibt es einen Computerclub."
English: "In lunch break, there is a computer club."
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Critical Grammar Rules to Master:
- Time expressions: Use "am" with days of the week (am Montag = on Monday)
- Word order: In German, time expressions often come at the beginning of sentences
- Separable verbs: "anfangen" splits in present tense: "Die Schule fängt um 8 Uhr an" (School starts at 8 o'clock)
- Pronunciation: The 'ch' in "Mittwoch" sounds like the 'ch' in Scottish "loch"
Common mistake: Don't forget that separable verbs like "anfangen" split apart in sentences - the prefix goes to the end!
Translation practice
Try these translations, then check your answers below:
German to English:
- Die erste Stunde ist Englisch.
- Nach der Mittagspause haben wir Kunst.
English to German: 3. The second lesson is German. 4. School finishes at 3:30 pm.
Answers:
- The first lesson is English.
- After lunch break we have art.
- Die zweite Stunde ist Deutsch.
- Die Schule endet um 15:30 Uhr. (Note: Germans use 24-hour time)
Time format tip: German schools typically use 24-hour time format, so 3:30 pm becomes 15:30 Uhr. This is standard in formal contexts and timetables.
Key Points to Remember:
- Days of the week in German are masculine and use "am" for "on" (am Montag = on Monday)
- "Anfangen" (to start) and "enden" (to end) are key verbs for describing school timing
- Use "nach der Pause" to say "after break" and connect different parts of your school day
- German schools often use 24-hour time format, so 3:30 pm becomes 15:30 Uhr
- Practice describing your own school timetable using these phrases to make the vocabulary stick