Note
/ˈnoːtə/feminine
The German word for the English phrase 'grade' is Note. If unsure, use Note. Wiktionary also lists Zensur.
Meaning: performance expressed by a number, letter, or other symbol (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Note | /ˈnoːtə/ (Germany) /ˈnoːtɛ/ (Austria, Southern Germany, Switzerland) |
feminine |
| Zensur | /t͡sɛnˈzuːɐ̯/ | feminine |
Note refers to a performance expressed by a number, letter or other symbol. It is the most common way to talk about a grade on a single assignment, test or exam in everyday school settings.
Which one should you use?
Note is the standard term used for a grade, whereas Zensur is also a feminine noun used to express the same concept.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Note is Noten. To express the action of assigning scores, you can use the verb benoten.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnoːtə/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse the German Note (grade) with the English word 'note' (a short written message). In German, a written message is called a Notiz.
Did you know?
- In German schools, the grading scale for Note is usually inverted compared to the US system, as a 1 is the best possible grade and 6 is the worst.
- The term Zensur can refer to a grade, but it also means 'censorship' in German, which can lead to confusion in political contexts.
- The word Note also refers to a musical note, meaning the same word is used for both a student's grade and a pitch in a song.
Examples in context
- Welche Note hast du im Test?What grade did you get on the test?This sentence is useful for asking about a grade on a test using Note.Tatoeba #4009064 by pullnosemans, translation #263468 by CK
- Ich denke, Tom hat eine gute Note erhalten.I think Tom got a good grade.This sentence is useful for stating that someone received a good grade using Note.Tatoeba #12050128 by mayabe, translation #9527936 by CK
- Hast du die Note bekommen, die du erwartet hast?Did you get the grade you expected?This sentence is useful for asking if someone received the grade they expected using Note.Tatoeba #12510774 by Waldelfe, translation #12506422 by CK
- Bitte geben Sie mir meine Noten zurück.Please return my grades.
- Welche Note habe ich in Mathematik erhalten?What grade did I get in mathematics?
- Die Bewertung meiner mündlichen Präsentation war ausgezeichnet.The grade for my oral presentation was excellent.
- Hast du schon deine Noten für das letzte Semester gesehen?Have you seen your grades for last semester yet?
- Meine Note in Englisch war ziemlich gut.My grade in English was quite good.
- Welche Zensur hast du in Geschichte bekommen?What grade did you get in history?
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their math exam results in the school hallway.
- MaximilianWie war deine Note in Mathematik?How was your grade in math?
- JuliaDie Note war leider ziemlich schlecht.The grade was unfortunately quite bad.
- MaximilianDas tut mir leid, Julia.I am sorry to hear that, Julia.
- JuliaDanke, Maximilian, aber es ist okay.Thanks, Maximilian, but it is okay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grade” translations and entries Note, Zensur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
