The German word for student (in primary or secondary school) is der Schüler.
Schüler in German refers specifically to school students—those who are still in the pre-university system. For university students, the word is Student. The feminine form is die Schülerin.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (you can download the full PDF for free).
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Schüler.
The feminine version is die Schülerin.
Want gender memorization help? This video lesson walks you through the system.
Pronunciation:
Schüler is pronounced [SHU-luhr]
“SHU” like “shoe”
“luhr” rhymes with “blur”
Two syllables: SHU-luhr
Example sentences
Der Schüler hat seine Hausaufgaben gemacht.
The student did his homework.
Die Schüler hören aufmerksam zu.
The students are listening attentively.
Meine Schwester ist noch Schülerin.
My sister is still a student.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Wie viele Schüler sind in der Klasse?"
How many students are in the class?
"Ich war früher ein sehr fauler Schüler."
I used to be a very lazy student.
"Die neue Schülerin kommt aus Spanien."
The new student comes from Spain.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Lena: Bist du noch Schüler?
Ben: Ja, ich bin in der elften Klasse.
Lena: Und wie findest du Mathe?
Ben: Nicht mein Lieblingsfach…
Translation:
Lena: Are you still a student?
Ben: Yes, I’m in 11th grade.
Lena: And how do you like math?
Ben: Not my favorite subject…
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Der Schüler schreibt einen Aufsatz.
The student is writing an essay.
Accusative:
Ich sehe den Schüler im Flur.
I see the student in the hallway.
Dative:
Ich helfe dem Schüler mit den Aufgaben.
I help the student with the tasks.
Genitive:
Das Buch des Schülers ist neu.
The student’s book is new.
Other ways to say student in German
While Schüler is the main word for student in German (at school level), Student is used for university students. Lehrling or Azubi refers to apprentices. Teilnehmer can mean “participant” in a course. Still, Schüler is your go-to for kids and teens in formal education settings.
Word variations and tidbits
Schüler appears in compounds like Grundschüler (elementary student), Gymnasiast (grammar school student), Musterschüler (model student), and Nachhilfeschüler (tutoring student). Idioms include ein schlechter Schüler sein (to be a bad student), and von jemandem lernen wie ein Schüler (to learn like a student from someone experienced).
📘 Duden entry for Schüler
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