Reading · B2 · Text 33

Hauslehrer

60 words1 min read87% known at B2

Heute gibt es Hauslehrer nur noch selten.
Today, home tutors are seldom found.
In Deutschland bestimmt der Staat, dass alle Kinder eine Schule besuchen müssen.
In Germany, the state stipulates that all children must attend school.
Ausnahmen gibt es nur, wenn ein Kind zum Beispiel lange Zeit krank ist.
Exceptions are made only when a child is, for example, ill for an extended period.
In Österreich und der Schweiz hingegen muss ein Kind nur Unterricht erhalten, der muss aber nicht unbedingt in der Schule stattfinden.
In Austria and Switzerland, however, a child is merely required to receive instruction, but it does not necessarily have to take place in a school.
Allerdings machen das nur wenige Familien so.
However, only a few families do this.

2 words above B2

Hauslehrer← der Hauslehrer

private tutor (a teacher who gives lessons at home) Plural: die Hauslehrer; here used in the plural

Staat← der Staat

state (country; the political entity) Plural: die Staaten

Grammar in this text

Subordinate clause with 'dass' (verb-final word order)

dass alle Kinder eine Schule besuchen müssen

In a 'dass' clause, the finite verb (or the modal verb) is placed at the very end of the clause. The subject follows 'dass' directly, and the entire clause acts as an object of the main verb.

Contrastive connector 'hingegen'

In Österreich und der Schweiz hingegen muss ein Kind nur Unterricht erhalten

'hingegen' is an adverb used to signal a contrast to a previous statement. It is typically placed after the first element of the main clause, meaning 'on the other hand'.

Demonstrative pronoun as a cohesive link

der muss aber nicht unbedingt in der Schule stattfinden

The demonstrative pronoun 'der' refers back to 'Unterricht' from the preceding sentence, enabling a new main clause without repeating the noun. This is a common cohesive device in German.

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Text from Hauslehrer — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.