German · Schulalltag
You ask the school secretary when lessons begin: what to say in German
You ask the school secretary about the start of lessons.
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How it's done. The Sekretariat is the school office; ask there about hours, the timetable (Stundenplan) and documents. Lessons usually start at eight.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Guten Tag, wann beginnt der Unterricht?
GOO-tayn tahk, vahn beh-GEENT dehr OON-teh-reekht?
Good day, when do lessons begin?
Or say:Guten Tag, um wie viel Uhr fängt die Schule an?
GOO-tayn tahk, oom vee feel oor fayngt dee SHOO-leh ahn?
THEY SAY
Der Unterricht beginnt um acht Uhr.Dehr OON-teh-reekht beh-GEENT oom ahkht oor.
Lessons begin at eight o'clock.
They might also say:
Die erste Stunde ist um acht Uhr.
Dee EHRS-teh SHTOON-deh eest oom ahkht oor.
The first lesson is at eight o'clock.
2
YOU REPLY
Und wann ist er zu Ende?
Oont vahn eest ehr tsoo AYN-deh?
And when does it end?
THEY SAY
Ihre Tochter hat heute bis dreizehn Uhr. Den Stundenplan bekommt sie von der Lehrerin.EE-reh TOKH-tuh khaht KHOY-teh bees DRIGH-tsayn oor. Dayn SHTOON-dayn-plahn beh-KOMT zee fohn dehr LEH-reh-reen.
Your daughter has until one o'clock today. She gets the timetable from the teacher.
3
YOU FINISH
Vielen Dank für die Information!
FEE-layn dahnk fyoor dee een-for-muh-tsee-OHN!
Thank you very much for the information!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
wann
vahn
adverb
when
beginnt
beh-GEENT
verb
begins
Unterricht
OON-teh-reekht
noun
lessons
Uhr
oor
noun
clock
25 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
The teacher explains what to bring to schoolSchulalltag · A2 in the app
→You ask about lunch at schoolSchulalltag · A2 in the app
→You enrol your child at school and answer the secretary's questionsSchulalltag · A2 in the app
→You are given the timetable and told about the textbooksSchulalltag · A2 in the app
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