VOCABULARY
DAYS OF WEEK
Montag / Dienstag / Mittwoch / Donnerstag / Freitag / Samstag / Sonntag
Note: German calendars start their week with Monday. When writing dates, they record in a different order from us - day first, month second, and year last EX 2. Januar 2008. When written as all numbers this same date would look like this 2.01.08. As you can see, if you are not familiar with this, the different order could cause confusion. When in doubt, ask that the month be stated as a word.
We have been practicing ordinal numbers when giving the date each day in class. Compare the two ways of expressing the following numbers:
eins / erste zwei / zweite drei / dritte vier / vierte
NUMBERS
0=null 1=eins 2=zwei 3=drei 4=vier 5=fünf 6=sechs 7=sieben 8=acht 9=neun
10=zehn 11=elf 12=zwölf 13=dreizehn 14=vierzehn 15=fünfzehn
16=sechzehn 17=siebzehn 18=achtzehn 19=neunzehn 20=zwanzig
21=einundzwanzig 22=zweiundzwanzig 23=dreiundzwanzig 24=vierundzwanzig
25=fünfundzwanzig 26=sechsundzwanzig 27=siebenundzwanzig
28=achtundzwanzig 29=neunundzwanzig 30=dreißig
40=vierzig 50=fünfzig 60=sechzig 70=siebzig 80=achtzig 90=neunzig
SCHOOL SUBJECTS
die Arbeitsgemeinschaft AG = extracurricular club or sport
Biologie = biology
Chemie = chemistry
Chor = chorus
Deutsch = German
Englisch = English
Französisch = French
Geschichte = history
Informatik = computer/tech ed
Kunst = art
Mathematik = math
die Mittagpause = the noon break
Musik = music
Orchester = orchestra
Physik = physics
Religion = religion
Sozialkunde = social studies
Sport = physical education
Note: The sciences are broken down into biology, physics, and chemistry at the middle school level. They are often taken during the same semesters. The word "Naturwissenschaft" refers to all the natural sciences but is rarely considered a single subject.
German public schools teach religion. Usually students can enroll in one of two or more religion classes that reflect the make up of their community. Often an ethics class is also available if the student has no religious affiliation. Germany does not have the tradition of separation of church and state that we are familiar with in our country.
TYPES OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS
das Gymnasium
A Gymnasium is a secondary school which pupils attend for nine years and which leads to the Arbitur. The final two years at a Gymnasium (two and a half in some Länder) are known as the Kollegstufe. The curriculum varies according to the type of school. Some lean toward the humanities and others toward the sciences. Some offer both. Students who attend Gymnasium plan to attend the university when they are finished.
die Hauptschule
A Hauptschule caters for the last five year of the required 9 years of school in Germany. Students can attend for an additional year if their grades are good enough. By doing this and earning a special certificate, they have better chances in the job market when they are finished. The certificate also allows them to attend a Fachoberschule (Fachhochschule). Here they can learn professions in the areas of technology, social and natural sciences, and art.
die Realschule
A Realschule is a German secondary school that provides a general education that goes beyond that of the Hauptschule. Pupils work toward the mittlere Reife, after which they can for example try for a Fachabitur at a Fachoberschule or serve an apprenticeship. If pupils from a Realschule achieve good examination results, they may move up to the eleventh year of a Gymnasium and try for the Abitur.
Die Arbitur
In Germany the Abitur examination is taken by pupils at a Gymnasium after thirteen years at school. The Abitur consists of written and oral tests in four core subjects, although the overall mark takes account of a student's performance in various courses throughout their Kollegstufe. The Abitur is also known as the allgemeine Hochschulreife, since it is a prerequisite for acceptance on a university course.
die Hauptschule
Information on secondary schools from: Harper Collins German Unabridged Dictionary, 2004
CUSTOMS:
Schultüten - The tradition of children receiving this specially decorated cone full of gifts and goodies on their first day of school started in the 19th Century. It started in Saxony and Thuringen and is now practiced through Germany. Go to the website "Schultüten" below to see pictures of new 1st graders with their colorful cones.
NOUNS
die Klasse = the class (usually refers to the group of students who are in the same grade)
die Schule = the school
der Schüler = the pupil, male ("Student" refers to college students)
die Schülerin = the pupil, female
die Schüler = the pupils
der Schuldirektor = the principal, male
die Schuldirektorin = the principal, femal
die Schulzeitung = the school newspaper
die Stunde = the hour or period
die Uhr = the clock, "Uhr" is used as "o'clock"
der Unterricht = the lesson
OTHER VOCABULARY
wann = when
wie viele = how many
groß = large
spät = late
es gibt = there is or there are
schulfrei = no school
STRUCTURES
Wann hast du .....? = When do you have .....?
Ich habe ..... um ..... = I have ..... at .....
Wie viele Schüler habt ihr? = How many students do you all have?
Es gibt über 1000 Schüler in FMS. = There are over 1000 students at FMS.
Am Montag = on Monday
Um 14 Uhr = at 2 p.m.
Wann beginnt.....? = When does ..... begin?
Was machst du .......? What do you do .....?
ich = I wir = we
du = you (singular) ihr = you all
er/sie/es = he/she/it sie = they
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