German word

Zeugnis

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtsɔʏ̯knɪs/

Meaning

  • neuter nounreport card

Example

Er hat seine Zeugnisse gestern bekommen.

He got his report cards yesterday.

Illustration for Zeugnis (report card)

More examples

Nach dem Vorstellungsgespräch musste er sein Zeugnis vorlegen.

After the interview, he had to present his transcript.

Core concept

An official document that presents evidence of what someone has achieved or is qualified to do.

Common phrases

  • ein Zeugnis ausstellen

    issue a transcript

  • sein Zeugnis erhalten

    receive one's transcript

  • ein Zeugnis vorlegen

    present a transcript

Similar words

Arbeitszeugnis: A formal employer-issued assessment of an employee's work and conduct.
Abschlusszeugnis: A final school or course certificate listing grades and overall evaluation.
Bescheinigung: A short official confirmation of a particular fact or completed process.
Zertifikat: A formal document certifying a passed exam, completed training, or professional qualification.

Definition in German

Ein offizielles Dokument als Leistungs- oder Qualifikationsnachweis, das persönliche schulische oder berufliche Ergebnisse in Form von Noten und Angaben festhält.

Word origin

The German noun Zeugnis developed from the Germanic verb zeugen, 'to bear witness', and the suffix -nis, moving from testimony or evidence to documents recording results or qualifications.

Usage tips

  • In employment contexts, an Arbeitszeugnis is a formal employer's reference, not simply a school report.

Other meanings

  • transcriptnoun
  • certificatenoun
  • testimonynoun

Word lists with this word