German · Noten / Zeugnis
You do not understand the German grading scale: what to say in German
You do not understand the German grading scale.
💡
How it's done. Marks in Germany go from 1 to 6: 1 is the best (sehr gut), 6 the worst (ungenügend); 4 is still adequate; this scale is the reverse of the Ukrainian one.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
Entschuldigung, ich verstehe die Noten nicht. Was bedeutet eine Zwei?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, eekh fehrsh-TEH-eh dee NOH-tayn neekht. Vahs beh-DOY-tet IGH-neh tsvigh?
Excuse me, I don't understand the marks. What does a two mean?
Or say:Entschuldigung, wie funktionieren Schulnoten in Deutschland?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, vee foonk-tsee-oh-NEE-rayn SHOOL-noh-tayn een DOYCH-lahnd?
THEY SAY
In Deutschland geht es von eins bis sechs. Eins ist sehr gut, und sechs ist ungenügend.Een DOYCH-lahnd get es fohn ighns bees zeks. Ighns eest zehr goot, oont zeks eest OON-geh-nyoo-gaynt.
In Germany it goes from one to six. One is very good and six is insufficient.
They might also say:
Die Noten gehen von eins bis sechs. Die Eins ist die beste Note.
Dee NOH-tayn GEH-ayn fohn ighns bees zeks. Dee ighns eest dee BES-teh NOH-teh.
The marks go from one to six. The one is the best mark.
2
YOU REPLY
Also ist eine Zwei gut?
AHL-zoh eest IGH-neh tsvigh goot?
So a two is good?
THEY SAY
Ja, genau. Eine Zwei ist gut, eine Drei befriedigend und eine Vier ausreichend.Yah, geh-NOW. IGH-neh tsvigh eest goot, IGH-neh drigh beh-FREE-dee-gaynt oont IGH-neh feer OW-srigh-khaynt.
Yes, exactly. A two is good, a three satisfactory and a four adequate.
3
YOU REPLY
Und was ist eine Fünf?
Oont vahs eest IGH-neh fyoonf?
And what is a five?
THEY SAY
Eine Fünf ist mangelhaft. Damit besteht man nicht.IGH-neh fyoonf eest MAHN-gel-khuhft. Duh-MEET besh-TET mahn neekht.
A five is poor. You do not pass with it.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke, jetzt verstehe ich das System.
DAHN-keh, yehtst fehrsh-TEH-eh eekh dahs zyoos-TEM.
Thanks, now I understand the system.
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
verstehe
fehrsh-TEH-eh
verb
I understand
Noten
NOH-tayn
noun
marks
nicht
neekht
adverb
not
bedeutet
beh-DOY-tet
verb
means
geht
get
verb
goes
ist
eest
verb
is
33 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
You look at the report card and ask about the gradesNoten / Zeugnis · A2 in the app
→You ask about a testNoten / Zeugnis · A2 in the app
→The teacher talks about choosing a school after primary schoolNoten / Zeugnis · A2 in the app
→Your child needs help with mathsHausaufgaben / Nachhilfe · A2 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report