If you move to Germany with children, the school and the Kita become the fastest route into the language and into the local community. The letters that arrive from both are written in a very particular German.
This guide gathers the words you need for enrolment, the parents' evening, the sick note and the daily routine of a German school.
The Words of Childhood
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| das Kind | the child |
| die Eltern | the parents |
| die Kita | the day-care centre |
| der Kindergarten | the kindergarten |
| die Tagesmutter | the childminder |
| die Betreuung | the care |
| die Eingewoehnung | the settling-in period |
| die Gruppe | the group |
Kita is the usual word for care before school, and a place is booked long before the child needs it. The Eingewoehnung is a gradual settling-in over one or two weeks with a parent present, and it is treated as an important part of the process.
Enrolling in Kita or School
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| die Anmeldung | the enrolment |
| die Warteliste | the waiting list |
| der Platz | the place |
| die Gebuehr | the fee |
| der Kita-Gutschein | the day-care voucher |
| die Grundschule | the primary school |
| die Schulpflicht | compulsory schooling |
| die Einschulung | the first day of school |
In most cities you apply for a Kita place through a central portal and then wait, so apply the moment you know your address. Schooling is compulsory from the age of six, and the Einschulung in late summer is celebrated with a cone of sweets and a family party.
The School Day
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| die Klasse | the class |
| die Lehrerin | the teacher |
| der Stundenplan | the timetable |
| die Hausaufgabe | the homework |
| der Elternabend | the parents' evening |
| das Zeugnis | the school report |
| der Elternsprechtag | the parents' consultation day |
| die Pause | the break |
German primary school usually ends before lunch, and afternoon care is a separate arrangement. Marks run from one to six, where one is the best, and the report arrives twice a year in a formal written form.
Talking to Teachers
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| das Gespraech | the conversation |
| die Leistung | the performance |
| die Foerderung | the support |
| der Foerderplan | the support plan |
| die Note | the mark |
| die Empfehlung | the recommendation |
| das Verhalten | the behaviour |
| die Vereinbarung | the agreement |
At the Elternsprechtag you get a short slot with the teacher, so prepare two questions in advance and write them down. Stay calm and factual, because a written Foerderplan usually follows a conversation rather than a single bad mark.
Health, Forms and Money
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| das Formular | the form |
| die Unterschrift | the signature |
| die Untersuchung | the medical check-up |
| die Impfung | the vaccination |
| der Ausflug | the school trip |
| das Materialgeld | the contribution for materials |
| die Klassenkasse | the class fund |
| die Entschuldigung | the note of excuse |
Every form that comes home needs a signature and a return date, and a missed deadline causes more trouble than the form itself. If your child is ill, send a short written Entschuldigung on the first day back.
Childcare and Work
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| die Betreuungszeiten | the care hours |
| die Randzeiten | the early and late hours |
| die Notbetreuung | the emergency care |
| der Hort | the after-school care |
| die Ferienbetreuung | the holiday care |
| die Elternzeit | the parental leave |
| das Elterngeld | the parental allowance |
| die Teilzeit | the part-time work |
Care hours are the practical limit on a working day, so check the Randzeiten before you accept a shift pattern. Parental leave can be taken by either parent and may be split into blocks until the child is eight.
Everyday Words with Children
| German term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| der Spielplatz | the playground |
| der Kinderarzt | the paediatrician |
| der Mittagsschlaf | the afternoon nap |
| die Brotdose | the lunch box |
| der Ranzen | the school bag |
| die Hausschuhe | the indoor shoes |
| der Turnbeutel | the sports bag |
| der Strassenverkehr | the road traffic |
The everyday objects of a German childhood have their own names, and the school will expect all of them by the first week. Even a small child learns them faster than the parents, which is one reason the family often progresses quickly.
Phrases at School
| German phrase | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mein Kind ist heute krank. | My child is ill today. |
| Ich moechte einen Termin machen. | I would like to make an appointment. |
| Wo ist das Buero? | Where is the office? |
| Wann ist der Elternabend? | When is the parents' evening? |
| Mein Sohn spricht noch wenig Deutsch. | My son still speaks little German. |
| Koennen Sie das bitte wiederholen? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| Ich verstehe die Hausaufgabe nicht. | I do not understand the homework. |
| Vielen Dank fuer Ihre Hilfe. | Thank you very much for your help. |
Teachers are used to families who are still learning, and one honest sentence about your German is received better than silence.
Getting Ready Before School Starts
Before the first day the school asks for the vaccination record, the registration certificate and the child's previous reports, so request any translations well in advance.
A child who arrives without German is placed in the ordinary class, often with extra lessons, and the school may offer a welcome class for the first few months.
Contact with other parents matters more than grammar, so join the class group and exchange numbers at the first parents' evening; a parent who knows you will translate a letter for you.
Reading aloud at home in any language helps, and the school library usually holds German books at every level.
Ask the class teacher about language support and about the school's rules on illness, absence and holidays, because the procedures differ between the federal states.
School holidays are set by each state, and taking a child out of school during term time without permission is an offence that can be fined.
If your child needs extra support with the language, the school can apply for a support plan, and the parents are part of that discussion. If you want to read the school letter on the day it arrives, learn German with a course that follows family life in Germany.
The bars show the order of the stages; each value is a sequence number rather than a duration.
Children and Language in Germany
Children absorb a new language in a few months; parents usually need a little help, and the school letters are where that help is most obviously needed.
Learn the words for enrolment, the parents' evening and the note of excuse, and you can support your child from the first day. If you want to learn German for family life, the language of the school is the most useful place to start.
German school and Kita life runs on letters, forms and short conversations. Learn German with the words of enrolment, parents' evenings and childcare.
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