Skip to content

Gymnasium

grammar school

noun gewm-NAH-zee-um Less Common
People & Society Education

Origin: from Greek gymnasion

Also means

secondary school

Usage Note

Gymnasium is a false friend: it is the academic secondary school leading to university, NOT a gym. The plural is the Latinate Gymnasien. A place to work out is a Fitnessstudio or Turnhalle.

Examples

"Mein Sohn geht aufs Gymnasium."

Natural Translation

My son goes to grammar school.

Literal Translation

My son goes to-the grammar-school.

Explore German by topic