ich gehe zur Schule
The German phrase for "I go to school" is ich gehe zur Schule.
This phrase is used to say that someone attends an educational institution as a student.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ich gehe zur Schule is a contraction of ich gehe zu der Schule. In this contraction, zur combines the preposition zu (to) with the feminine article der (the).
Which one should you use?
While ich gehe zur Schule is the standard way to say one is a student, ich gehe in die Schule emphasizes the physical act of entering the school building.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express this in the past tense, you can use the simple past form ich ging zur Schule.
Did you know?
- German has a specific word, Schulweg, to describe the physical route a child takes to school, reflecting a cultural emphasis on the daily commute.
- The contraction zur in ich gehe zur Schule is mirrored in Dutch with the word ter, showing a shared linguistic habit of shortening common directional phrases.
- While ich gehe zur Schule means you are a student, saying ich gehe in die Schule can literally mean you are just walking into the building to pick up a forgotten umbrella.
Examples in context
- Ich gehe zur Schule.I go to school.This example shows the standard way to say the phrase.Tatoeba #708626 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #472089 by tamsanh
- Ich gehe zur Schule am Samstag.I go to school on Saturday.This sentence demonstrates how to add a specific time like Saturday to the phrase.Tatoeba #2322817 by oldfashioned, translation #2322801 by oldfashioned
- Ich gehe zur Schule, weil ich etwas lernen möchte.I go to school because I want to learn.This sentence shows how to use the phrase to explain a reason for attending school.Tatoeba #365855 by Wolf, translation #256645 by CK
Example conversation
Hannah and Lukas are talking about their daily routines.
- HannahIch gehe zur Schule, um Deutsch zu lernen.I go to school to learn German.
- LukasDas ist toll, Hannah!That is great, Hannah!
- HannahGehst du auch zur Schule, Lukas?Do you go to school too, Lukas?
- LukasNein, ich arbeite jetzt.No, I am working now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schule, ich, zur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
