außerschulisch
The English word "extracurricular" is translated into German as außerschulisch.
außerschulisch is an adjective used to describe things that take place outside the normal curriculum of an educational establishment.
Meaning: outside of the normal curriculum of an educational establishment (adj)
Which one should you use?
While außerschulisch specifically refers to activities outside of the school setting, außercurricular is a much rarer, more technical term used in academic contexts to mean 'outside the curriculum'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective takes the -e ending when used before a feminine or plural noun in the nominative case, such as außerschulische Aktivitäten. It takes the -en ending when used after the preposition an in the accusative case (as in an … teilnehmen).
Did you know?
- In Germany, many extracurricular activities are referred to as AG (short for Arbeitsgemeinschaft), which translates literally to 'working community'.
- Unlike the English 'extracurricular', which is often used to boost university applications, außerschulische activities in Germany are traditionally viewed more as personal enrichment or social integration than as strategic credentials.
- In Germany, an activity described as außerschulisch might actually take place within the school building, as the term refers to the curriculum rather than the physical location.
Examples in context
- Tom nimmt an außerschulischen Aktivitäten teil.Tom participates in extracurricular activities.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use außerschulisch in the context of participating in activities.Tatoeba #9112882 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7784807 by Hybrid
- Im Rahmen meiner außerschulischen Aktivitäten habe ich an einem Umweltprojekt teilgenommen.As part of my extracurricular activities, I participated in an environmental project.
- Die Schule bietet viele außerschulische Projekte an.The school offers many extracurricular projects.
- Das ist ein außerschulischer Kurs für Kinder.That is an extracurricular course for children.
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are talking about their school activities.
- JuliaMachst du oft außerschulische Aktivitäten?Do you often do extracurricular activities?
- FelixJa, ich spiele Fußball im Verein.Yes, I play football in a club.
- JuliaIst das sehr anstrengend für dich?Is that very exhausting for you?
- FelixEin bisschen, aber es macht Spaß.A little, but it is fun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “extracurricular” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
