German · Everyday Verbs
"to teach" in German: unterrichten
unterrichten
Note: also: beibringen
To teach in German is unterrichten. Say Ich unterrichte Mathe and Sie unterrichtet seit zehn Jahren. Beibringen is more "show someone how," not this headword alone.
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How to pronounce unterrichten
Say it
uun-ter-RIKH-ten
/ʊntɐˈʁɪçtn̩/
uun-ter-RIKH-ten. Stress -rich-. Soft ich-sound in -richt-.
"to teach" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| unterrichten | to teach (classes) School/course teaching. | School/course teaching. |
| ich unterrichte / du unterrichtest | I teach / you teach Present forms. | Present forms. |
| beibringen | to teach someone something Show/how-to sense. | Show/how-to sense. |
| der Unterricht | lessons, class Related noun. | Related noun. |
How to use unterrichten in real life
- 1Job talk
Ich unterrichte Deutsch an einer Schule.
I teach German at a school.
Unterrichte is ich-form.
- 2Asking a friend
Unterrichtest du noch online?
Do you still teach online?
Unterrichtest is du-form.
- 3About a teacher
Frau Berg unterrichtet Geschichte.
Ms. Berg teaches history.
Unterrichtet is sie-form.
Mistakes English speakers make with unterrichten
Incorrect: Ich beibringe Mathe in der Schule. (for classroom job)
Correct: Ich unterrichte Mathe in der Schule.
Classroom teaching uses unterrichten.
Incorrect: Ich teache Deutsch.
Correct: Ich unterrichte Deutsch.
Use unterrichten.
Good to know
Unterricht is the noun for class time. Beibringen fits "I'll teach you a trick," while unterrichten fits professional teaching.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Career chat
ChatPal
Unterrichtest du Vollzeit oder Teilzeit?
Do you teach full-time or part-time?
You
Teilzeit. Ich unterrichte drei Tage die Woche.
Part-time. I teach three days a week.
ChatPal
Welche Klasse unterrichtest du?
Which class do you teach?
You
Zehnte Klasse. Ich unterrichte auch AG-Kunst.
Tenth grade. I also teach art club.
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Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to teach" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to teach" in German
How do you conjugate unterrichten?
Ich unterrichte, du unterrichtest, er unterrichtet, wir unterrichten.
When do I use beibringen?
For showing someone how to do something, not usually for school subjects.
What is the noun Unterricht?
Lessons / class instruction.
How do you say I teach English?
Ich unterrichte Englisch.
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