Talking About School Subjects in German

This section explains how to talk about school subjects in German, providing vocabulary and examples.  It also includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.

School Subjects

In German schools, there are various subjects that students study. The subjects can be either core subjects or optional subjects, and these may vary depending on the type of school (e.g., Gymnasium, Realschule, Hauptschule).

Common School Subjects:

• Mathematik (Mathematics)
• Deutsch (German)
• Englisch (English)
• Geschichte (History)
• Geografie (Geography)
• Biologie (Biology)
• Chemie (Chemistry)
• Physik (Physics)
• Musik (Music)
• Kunst (Art)
• Sport (Physical Education)
• Erdkunde (Geography)
• Politik (Politics)
• Wirtschaft (Economics)
• Informatik (ICT – Information and Communication Technology)

Describing Your Favourite and Least Favourite Subjects

In GCSE exams, you are often asked to describe your favourite and least favourite subjects. Here's how to talk about them:

Common Phrases:

• Mein Lieblingsfach ist... (My favourite subject is...)
• Ich mag... (I like...)
• Ich finde... interessant (I find... interesting)
• Ich hasse... (I hate...)
• Ich finde... langweilig (I find... boring)
• Ich finde... schwierig (I find... difficult)

Example Phrases:

• Mein Lieblingsfach ist Englisch, weil es sehr interessant ist.
  (My favourite subject is English because it is very interesting.)
• Ich mag Kunst, weil ich kreativ bin.
  (I like Art because I am creative.)
• Ich finde Mathe sehr schwer, aber es ist auch wichtig.
  (I find Maths very difficult, but it is also important.)
• Ich hasse Geschichte, weil ich es langweilig finde.
  (I hate History because I find it boring.)

Describing What You Do in Each Subject

To talk about what you do in a particular subject, use the following vocabulary:

• Lernen (to learn)
• Üben (to practise)
• Schreiben (to write)
• Lesen (to read)
• Rechnen (to calculate)
• Diskutieren (to discuss)
• Forschen (to research)

Example Phrases:

• In Mathe rechne ich viel.
  (In Maths, I calculate a lot.)
• In Englisch lese ich oft Bücher und schreibe Essays.
  (In English, I often read books and write essays.)
• In Biologie forsche ich über den menschlichen Körper.
  (In Biology, I research the human body.)
• Im Sportunterricht üben wir verschiedene Sportarten.
  (In Physical Education, we practise different sports.)

Talking About What Subjects You Study

You may be asked to describe what subjects you study at school. Here’s how to express what subjects you are learning:

Example Phrases:

• Ich lerne Englisch, Deutsch, und Mathe.
  (I learn English, German, and Maths.)
• In meiner Schule gibt es viele verschiedene Fächer.
  (In my school, there are many different subjects.)
• Ich habe Kunst, Musik und Sport.
  (I have Art, Music, and Physical Education.)

Discussing the School Timetable and Subjects You Have Each Day

You may also need to talk about the subjects you have on different days of the week. To do this, use these useful expressions:

• Am Montag habe ich... (On Monday, I have...)
• Jeden Dienstag habe ich... (Every Tuesday, I have...)
• An Freitagen habe ich... (On Fridays, I have...)
• In der ersten Stunde habe ich... (In the first lesson, I have...)
• In der letzten Stunde habe ich... (In the last lesson, I have...)

Example:

• Am Montag habe ich zwei Stunden Mathe und dann Englisch.
  (On Monday, I have two lessons of Maths and then English.)
• An Freitagen habe ich immer Kunst und danach Sport.
  (On Fridays, I always have Art and then Physical Education.)
• In der letzten Stunde habe ich Geschichte.
  (In the last lesson, I have History.)

Talking About What You Think of School Subjects

You might be asked to talk about your opinion of different school subjects. Use these expressions to describe how you feel:

• Ich finde... interessant (I find... interesting)
• Ich finde... langweilig (I find... boring)
• Ich finde... einfach (I find... easy)
• Ich finde... schwierig (I find... difficult)
• Ich bin gut in... (I am good at...)
• Ich bin schlecht in... (I am bad at...)

Example Phrases:

• Ich finde Englisch sehr interessant, aber Mathematik finde ich schwierig.
  (I find English very interesting, but I find Maths difficult.)
• Ich bin gut in Biologie, aber schlecht in Chemie.
  (I am good at Biology, but bad at Chemistry.)
• Ich finde Geschichte langweilig, weil es viel zu lernen gibt.
  (I find History boring because there is a lot to learn.)

Describing the Difficulty of Subjects

When talking about subjects you find difficult, use these phrases:

• Es ist schwierig (It is difficult)
• Es ist leicht (It is easy)
• Es ist sehr anspruchsvoll (It is very challenging)
• Es ist einfach (It is simple)

Example Phrases:

• Physik ist sehr anspruchsvoll, weil es viel zu verstehen gibt.
  (Physics is very challenging because there is a lot to understand.)
• Kunst ist einfach für mich, weil ich gut zeichnen kann.
  (Art is easy for me because I can draw well.)
• Mathe ist schwierig, aber ich gebe mein Bestes.
  (Maths is difficult, but I try my best.)

Talking About Your School’s Approach to Subjects

In some cases, you might need to describe how your school teaches subjects or what kind of approach it has.

Example Phrases:

• In meiner Schule gibt es viele praktische Fächer wie Kunst und Sport.
  (In my school, there are many practical subjects like Art and PE.)
• Der Unterricht in Geschichte ist sehr theoretisch, aber interessant.
  (The lessons in History are very theoretical, but interesting.)
• Wir machen viele Experimente in Chemie.
  (We do a lot of experiments in Chemistry.)

Higher Tier Vocabulary:

Fachabitur – Specialised A-Levels

Wahlfächer – Elective subjects

Kernfächer – Core subjects

Lehrplan – Curriculum

Abschlussprüfungen – Final exams

Praktische Fächer – Practical subjects

Example Higher Tier Phrases:

• Ich möchte nach dem Abitur Wirtschaft studieren.
  (I want to study Economics after my A-levels.)
• In meiner Schule gibt es viele Wahlfächer, aber ich habe mich für Kunst entschieden.
  (In my school, there are many elective subjects, but I have chosen Art.)

Example Dialogue:

Was ist dein Lieblingsfach?
(What is your favourite subject?)

Mein Lieblingsfach ist Englisch, weil ich gern lese und schreibe.
(My favourite subject is English because I like reading and writing.)

Was machst du in Mathe?
(What do you do in Maths?)

In Mathe rechne ich viel, aber es ist manchmal schwierig.
(In Maths, I calculate a lot, but it is sometimes difficult.)

Hast du auch Sport?
(Do you have Physical Education too?)

Ja, wir haben zweimal die Woche Sport, und ich finde es sehr spaßig.
(Yes, we have Physical Education twice a week, and I find it very fun.)

These notes should help you talk about school subjects in German at both Foundation and Higher levels. Use the vocabulary and phrases to describe your favourite subjects, what you study, and your opinions on different topics.