to teach / inform
Loading your saved state.
to teach
To systematically provide someone with knowledge or skills in a particular subject area, usually at a school, university, or in a course.
Herr Schmidt unterrichtet seit 20 Jahren Geschichte am Gymnasium.
Mr. Schmidt has been teaching history at the secondary school for 20 years.
Like many verbs with the prefix 'unter-', 'unterrichten' (to teach/inform) is also inseparable. The prefix always stays at the beginning of the verb, and the stress is on the syllable '-rich-': unterríchteten.
Er unterrichtet Deutsch als Fremdsprache.
He teaches German as a foreign language.
In the meaning 'lehren' (to teach), there are two common sentence patterns. Either you teach a subject (accusative), or you teach a person (accusative) in a subject (dative).
Sie unterrichtet Physik an der Universität.
She teaches physics at the university.
When 'unterrichten' means 'informieren' (to inform), it is always used with the preposition 'über' and the accusative. The structure is: jemanden über etwas unterrichten (to inform someone about something).
Der Chef unterrichtete seine Mitarbeiter über die neuen Pläne.
The boss informed his employees about the new plans.
The meaning 'informieren' (to inform) is formal and is used mainly in written language or in official contexts.
Der Anwalt unterrichtete seinen Klienten über den Stand des Verfahrens.
The lawyer informed his client about the status of the proceedings.
to form / educate
'bilden' and 'unterrichten' can both mean that someone gains knowledge or skills. 'unterrichten' is more specific: a teacher teaches a subject, a group, or a person in a course. It is about lessons and explaining. 'bilden' is broader and refers to the overall development of knowledge, abilities, and personality. Teaching can therefore be part of education. The words can be confused because both occur in learning contexts. For a specific lesson or subject, 'unterrichten' is more natural.
Am Dienstag unterrichtet Herr Kaya Deutsch für Anfänger.
On Tuesday, Mr. Kaya teaches German for beginners.
Die Schule soll Kinder nicht nur prüfen, sondern auch bilden.
The school should not only test children, but also educate them.