German Classroom Phrases: Essential Vocabulary for Teachers and Students

Whether you are attending a German language course, teaching a class, or preparing a child for school in a German-speaking country, knowing the right classroom phrases makes everything smoother. The difference between a student who sits in confused silence and one who actively participates often comes down to a handful of essential expressions.

This guide covers the most important German classroom phrases organized by situation -- what the teacher says, what students need to ask, the objects you will see every day, and the question words that unlock every conversation. Each phrase includes a translation and pronunciation tip so you can start using them immediately.

Teacher Commands (Lehreranweisungen)

German teachers use a set of standard commands that you will hear in every lesson. Most of these use the formal imperative, which is formed with the infinitive verb plus "Sie" -- or, in many classrooms, the informal plural form ending in "-t" when addressing the whole group.

Opening the Lesson

• Guten Morgen, Klasse! -- Good morning, class!
• Setzt euch, bitte. -- Sit down, please. (informal plural)
• Setzen Sie sich, bitte. -- Sit down, please. (formal)
• Wir fangen an. -- We are starting.
• Macht eure Bücher auf. -- Open your books. (informal plural)
• Öffnet eure Bücher auf Seite 12. -- Open your books to page 12.
• Schlagt Seite 20 auf. -- Turn to page 20.

During the Lesson

• Hört zu! -- Listen! (informal plural)
• Hören Sie zu! -- Listen! (formal)
• Passt auf! -- Pay attention!
• Schreibt das auf. -- Write that down.
• Lest den Text. -- Read the text. (informal plural)
• Wiederholt das, bitte. -- Repeat that, please.
• Arbeitet zu zweit. -- Work in pairs.
• Arbeitet in Gruppen. -- Work in groups.
• Macht die Übung auf Seite 15. -- Do the exercise on page 15.
• Kommt an die Tafel. -- Come to the board.

Closing the Lesson

• Die Stunde ist vorbei. -- The lesson is over.
• Macht eure Bücher zu. -- Close your books.
• Räumt eure Sachen auf. -- Pack up your things.
• Bis morgen! -- See you tomorrow!
• Schönen Tag noch! -- Have a nice day!
• Vergesst die Hausaufgaben nicht! -- Do not forget the homework!

If you are learning to give commands in German, our guide on German greetings covers the formal and informal "you" distinction (du vs. Sie) that determines which command form to use.

What Are Common German Classroom Phrases?

The most common German classroom phrases fall into a few everyday categories that students use constantly. Here are the ones you will need from day one.

Asking for Clarification

• Wie bitte? -- Pardon? / What did you say?
• Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? -- Can you please repeat that? (formal)
• Kannst du das bitte wiederholen? -- Can you please repeat that? (informal)
• Langsamer, bitte. -- Slower, please.
• Können Sie das bitte erklären? -- Can you please explain that?
• Was bedeutet das? -- What does that mean?
• Wie schreibt man das? -- How do you spell that?

Participating in Class

• Ich habe eine Frage. -- I have a question.
• Ich bin fertig. -- I am finished.
• Ich bin noch nicht fertig. -- I am not finished yet.
• Ist das richtig? -- Is that correct?
• Darf ich bitte auf die Toilette gehen? -- May I please go to the bathroom?
• Ich weiß die Antwort. -- I know the answer.
• Ich weiß es nicht. -- I do not know.

Expressing Opinions

• Ich glaube, die Antwort ist... -- I think the answer is...
• Ich bin mir nicht sicher. -- I am not sure.
• Ich stimme zu. -- I agree.
• Ich bin anderer Meinung. -- I have a different opinion.

Practice saying these phrases out loud with our Speech Champion game, which gives you real-time pronunciation feedback so you can build confidence before your next German class.

How Do You Say 'I Don't Understand' in German?

This might be the single most important phrase for any language learner. There are several ways to express it, each appropriate for different situations:

• Ich verstehe das nicht. -- I do not understand that. (The standard, all-purpose version.)
• Das verstehe ich nicht. -- I do not understand that. (Same meaning, slightly different emphasis -- puts "that" first for contrast.)
• Ich habe das nicht verstanden. -- I did not understand that. (Past tense -- useful when the teacher has already moved on.)
• Tut mir leid, ich verstehe nicht. -- Sorry, I do not understand. (Adds politeness.)
• Entschuldigung, das habe ich nicht mitbekommen. -- Sorry, I did not catch that. (More advanced, implies you missed something specific.)

Pronunciation tip for "verstehe": fair-SHTAY-uh. The German "v" sounds like an English "f," and the "st" at the beginning of a syllable is pronounced "sht." This pattern -- "st" becoming "sht" -- appears across German and is one of the first pronunciation rules to master.

Combine "Ich verstehe das nicht" with a follow-up request: "Ich verstehe das nicht. Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?" (I do not understand. Can you please repeat that?) This two-part pattern keeps the conversation moving instead of creating an awkward silence.

For a full list of beginner vocabulary including these essential phrases, check our German A1 vocabulary list.

Classroom Objects (Klassenzimmergegenstände)

Every German classroom has the same core objects, and knowing their articles (der, die, das) from the start saves headaches later. German nouns always have a grammatical gender, so we include the article with each word.

Writing and Drawing

• der Stift (plural: die Stifte) -- pen / pencil
• der Kugelschreiber (der Kuli) -- ballpoint pen
• der Bleistift -- pencil (literally "lead pencil")
• der Radiergummi -- eraser
• das Lineal -- ruler
• der Marker -- marker
• die Schere -- scissors

Paper and Books

• das Heft (plural: die Hefte) -- notebook / exercise book
• das Buch (plural: die Bücher) -- book
• das Wörterbuch -- dictionary (literally "word book")
• das Blatt Papier -- sheet of paper
• die Mappe -- folder

Classroom Furniture and Equipment

• die Tafel -- blackboard / whiteboard
• die Kreide -- chalk
• der Schwamm -- sponge (for cleaning the board)
• der Tisch -- table / desk
• der Stuhl -- chair
• die Uhr -- clock
• der Computer -- computer
• der Beamer -- projector
• die Schultasche -- school bag

A great way to memorize these words with their articles is to play Memory Match. The game pairs German words with their meanings, and the repetition helps lock vocabulary into long-term memory. You can also test your classroom vocabulary with our vocabulary quizzes.

Praise and Feedback Phrases (Lob und Rückmeldung)

Teachers use these phrases constantly, and recognizing them helps students understand whether they are on the right track.

Positive Feedback

• Sehr gut! -- Very good!
• Ausgezeichnet! -- Excellent!
• Richtig! -- Correct!
• Genau! -- Exactly!
• Gut gemacht! -- Well done!
• Super! -- Great! (commonly used, borrowed from English/French)
• Toll! -- Awesome!
• Das hast du gut gemacht. -- You did that well.
• Weiter so! -- Keep it up!

Corrective Feedback

• Leider falsch. -- Unfortunately wrong.
• Nicht ganz. -- Not quite.
• Fast richtig. -- Almost correct.
• Versuch es noch einmal. -- Try again.
• Kannst du das noch einmal sagen? -- Can you say that again?
• Achte auf die Aussprache. -- Pay attention to the pronunciation.

Hearing these phrases regularly in context is one of the fastest ways to internalize them. If you are learning German for kids, our guide on German for kids covers more age-appropriate classroom language and learning strategies.

What Are the 5 W's in German?

The 5 W-Fragen (W-questions) are the building blocks of asking questions in any language. In German, they all conveniently start with "W" -- just like in English.

Bonus W-Words

Beyond the core five, German has several more W-question words that are just as essential in the classroom:

• Wie? -- How? (Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch? -- How do you say that in German?)
• Wie viel? -- How much? (Wie viel kostet das Buch? -- How much does the book cost?)
• Wie viele? -- How many? (Wie viele Schüler sind in der Klasse? -- How many students are in the class?)
• Welche/r/s? -- Which? (Welche Seite? -- Which page?)
• Woher? -- Where from? (Woher kommst du? -- Where do you come from?)
• Wohin? -- Where to? (Wohin gehst du? -- Where are you going?)

Notice how German splits the English "where" into three words: wo (location), woher (origin), and wohin (destination). This precision is typical of German and actually makes questions clearer once you get used to it.

For a deep dive into forming questions, see our complete guide on German question words.

Asking for Help (Um Hilfe bitten)

Knowing how to ask for help politely is crucial in any classroom. These phrases use the conditional form "können" (can) or "dürfen" (may) to sound polite rather than demanding.

• Können Sie mir bitte helfen? -- Can you please help me? (formal)
• Kannst du mir bitte helfen? -- Can you please help me? (informal)
• Wie sagt man ... auf Deutsch? -- How do you say ... in German?
• Wie sagt man ... auf Englisch? -- How do you say ... in English?
• Ich brauche Hilfe. -- I need help.
• Können Sie das bitte an die Tafel schreiben? -- Can you please write that on the board?
• Können Sie bitte ein Beispiel geben? -- Can you please give an example?
• Darf ich ein Wörterbuch benutzen? -- May I use a dictionary?
• Können wir eine Pause machen? -- Can we take a break?

Pro tip: The phrase "Wie sagt man ... auf Deutsch?" is arguably the most useful sentence pattern for any German learner. It works everywhere -- in the classroom, at a restaurant, in a shop. Memorize it and use it constantly.

Quick Reference: Classroom Phrases Cheat Sheet

Put These Phrases Into Practice

Reading a list of phrases is a good start, but the real learning happens when you use them actively. Here are three ways to practice right now:

1. Speak them out loud. Use our Speech Champion game to record yourself saying these classroom phrases and get instant pronunciation feedback. Focus on the sounds that do not exist in English -- the German "ch," the "ü," and the "sht" at the beginning of words like "Stift" and "Stunde."

2. Memorize the vocabulary. Play Memory Match to lock in classroom objects and their articles. Knowing that it is der Stift and das Heft from the beginning saves you from relearning articles later.

3. Test yourself. Take a vocabulary quiz to see how many of these phrases you already know -- and which ones need more practice.

Start Learning German Classroom Phrases Today

These classroom phrases give you the foundation to participate actively in any German learning environment. From asking your teacher to repeat something (Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?) to knowing every object on your desk (der Stift, das Heft, die Tafel), you now have the vocabulary to navigate a German classroom with confidence.

The fastest way to make these phrases stick is through active, repeated practice. Try our free German games to build your vocabulary through play -- no account required. Or download the Deutschwunder app to practice German classroom phrases and thousands of other words anytime, anywhere.

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Deutschwunder offers free interactive games and quizzes for learning German at every level. From classroom basics to advanced grammar, every tool is built on proven learning science. Start playing now.