Pause
/ˈpaʊ̯zə/
Recess in German is Pause.
Die Pause is a common way to say recess. While Pause can mean any break, such as a coffee break, it specifically refers to the scheduled recess period when used in a school context.
Meaning: time away from studying during the school day for a meal or recreation (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Pause is Pausen. When using the dative case, such as after the preposition 'in', the word becomes der Pause.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpaʊ̯zə/
Did you know?
- In some German dialects, the way a Pause is spent is tied to the tradition of Brotzeit, a designated time for a savory snack that often overlaps with the midday break.
- The word Pause was borrowed from Middle French, which had taken it from the Latin word pausa.
- The word Pause is used in German to describe a 'pregnant pause' in conversation, known as a bedeutungsschwere Pause, which carries a heavy emotional weight.
Examples in context
- Nach der zweiten Unterrichtsstunde haben wir eine Pause.After the second lesson, we have recess.
- Die Schulpausen dauern 15 Minuten.The school recesses last for 15 minutes.
- Lass uns in der Pause Fußball spielen!Let's play soccer during recess!
- Wir essen immer unser Vesper in der Vesperpause.We always eat our snack during recess.
- Wir können in der Pause auf den Hof gehen.We can go to the courtyard during recess.
- Die Pause ist viel zu kurz.The recess is much too short.
Example conversation
Two students are talking in the school hallway between classes.
- SarahHast du in der Pause schon etwas gegessen?Have you eaten anything during recess already?
- MaximilianNein, ich hatte keine Zeit.No, I didn't have time.
- SarahDu solltest in der Pause etwas essen, Maximilian.You should eat something during recess, Maximilian.
- MaximilianDu hast recht, Sarah. Danke.You're right, Sarah. Thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Pause, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pause, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
