01
der Grad
degree
A unit of measurement for indicating temperature.
example
Draußen sind es heute nur 5 Grad Celsius.
It's only 5 degrees Celsius outside today.
der Grad
degree
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
'Der Grad' does not mean a school 'grade' like the English word 'grade'. A school grade is 'die Note' in German. 'Grad' refers to units of measurement or an extent.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat eine gute Note in der Prüfung bekommen.
She got a good grade on the exam.
Use as a unit of measurement
When 'Grad' is used as a unit of measurement for temperature or angles together with a number greater than one, the word usually remains unchanged in the singular form.
EXAMPLE
Draußen sind es minus zehn Grad.
It's minus ten degrees outside.
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning of 'Grad' from the context: numbers with 'Celsius' indicate temperature, words like 'Winkel' (angle) point to geometry, and terms like 'akademisch' (academic) or 'Master' point to a title.
EXAMPLE
Für den Kuchen brauchen wir einen Ofen mit 180 Grad.
For the cake, we need an oven at 180 degrees.
Describing extent
To describe an extent or intensity, the structure 'ein ... Grad an' + dative is often used. Typical adjectives are 'hoch' (high), 'niedrig' (low), or 'gewiss' (certain).
EXAMPLE
Das Projekt erfordert einen hohen Grad an Konzentration.
The project requires a high degree of concentration.
Compare with
Grad vs Titel
title
'der Titel' and 'der Grad' can both have to do with university study and official designations. In this context, 'Grad' refers especially to an academic degree awarded after completing a course of study. 'Titel' is more general: it can be an official designation, for example an academic title, but also a professional or other official designation. Learners may confuse the words because both are sometimes discussed in relation to academic qualifications. More precisely: the 'Grad' is the academic degree earned, while the 'Titel' is the official designation that a person may use.
Grad
Mein Bruder hat an der Universität einen akademischen Grad erworben.
My brother earned an academic degree at the university.
Titel
Nach der Promotion darf sie den Titel Doktor tragen.
After completing her doctorate, she is allowed to use the title Doctor.
In real life
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