German · B1 · Family moment
Taking charge of the class register in German
Help your child describe a trusted classroom job: counting the children, delivering the class register and returning to class. Use nachdem (after) to show that one action is complete before the next happens.
What you'll learn
- Describe the steps of a classroom responsibility in order.
- Use nachdem with the Perfekt for a completed earlier action and the present tense for the following action.
- Place the conjugated auxiliary at the end of the nachdem clause and the present-tense verb immediately after the comma.
German phrases for taking charge of the class register
Nachdem alle angekommen sind, zähle ich die Kinder.
After everyone has arrived, I count the children.
Everyone arrives first; counting follows.
Nachdem ich sie gezählt habe, sage ich der Lehrerin Bescheid.
After I have counted them, I tell the teacher.
Bescheid sagen means to let someone know. Here, the child reports the count.
Nachdem sie die Namen überprüft hat, schließt sie das Klassenbuch.
After she has checked the names, she closes the register.
Das Klassenbuch is the class register: a book used for attendance and other class records.
Nachdem sie es mir gegeben hat, bringe ich es nach unten.
After she has handed it to me, I take it downstairs.
Es refers to the class register. Nach unten means downstairs here.
Nachdem ich im Sekretariat angekommen bin, klopfe ich an die Tür.
After I have reached the office, I knock on the door.
Das Sekretariat is the school office.
Nachdem jemand geantwortet hat, gehe ich hinein.
After someone has answered, I go inside.
The child waits for an answer before entering.
Nachdem ich das Klassenbuch abgegeben habe, gehe ich zurück in die Klasse.
After I have delivered the register, I return to class.
Abgeben means to hand something in or deliver it to the person responsible.
Nachdem ich meine Aufgabe erledigt habe, mache ich wieder bei den anderen mit.
After I have finished my job, I join the others.
Wieder bei den anderen mitmachen means to join back in with what the others are doing.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
das Klassenbuch
class register
Plural: die Klassenbücher.
das Kind
child
Plural: die Kinder.
die Lehrerin
teacher (female)
Plural: die Lehrerinnen. Used here because the teacher is referred to as she.
der Name
name
Plural: die Namen.
das Sekretariat
school office; administrative office
Plural: die Sekretariate.
die Tür
door
Plural: die Türen.
die Aufgabe
task; job
Plural: die Aufgaben. Here, a classroom responsibility rather than paid work.
nachdem
after
Introduces an action completed before the action in the main clause.
Bescheid sagen
to let someone know
A useful expression for reporting that a task is done or giving someone the result.
erledigen
to complete; to take care of
Eine Aufgabe erledigen means to finish a task.
Completed first, then next: nachdem
Nach dem? For this pattern, use the single word nachdem, meaning after. The nachdem clause describes the completed earlier action in the Perfekt. The main clause describes the following action in the present tense. This pattern works well for explaining a routine step by step.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier completed action | nachdem + subject + … + past participle + conjugated haben/sein | Nachdem ich sie gezählt habe, … |
| Following action | present-tense main clause | … sage ich der Lehrerin Bescheid. |
| Full sequence | Perfekt in the nachdem clause → present tense in the main clause | Nachdem ich das Klassenbuch abgegeben habe, gehe ich zurück in die Klasse. |
Word order with a fronted nachdem clause
Put the conjugated auxiliary at the very end of the nachdem clause, after the past participle. Separate the clauses with a comma. When the nachdem clause comes first, put the main clause's conjugated verb immediately after the comma, followed by its subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| With haben | Nachdem … überprüft hat, schließt sie … | Nachdem sie die Namen überprüft hat, schließt sie das Klassenbuch. |
| With sein | Nachdem … angekommen sind, zähle ich … | Nachdem alle angekommen sind, zähle ich die Kinder. |
| Main-clause order | …, conjugated verb + subject + … | Nachdem jemand geantwortet hat, gehe ich hinein. |
More examples
Nachdem ich die Kinder gezählt habe, sage ich der Lehrerin Bescheid.
After I have counted the children, I tell the teacher.
Gezählt habe marks the completed first step; sage describes what follows.
Nachdem ich an die Tür geklopft habe, warte ich auf eine Antwort.
After I have knocked on the door, I wait for an answer.
The knocking is complete before the waiting begins.
Nachdem ich zurück in die Klasse gekommen bin, mache ich wieder mit.
After I have returned to class, I join in again.
Bin ends the nachdem clause; mache starts the main clause after the comma.