Today's words · ⏰ Part-time jobs
Looking for a side job in Germany? Start with these 10 words
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That ‘Aushilfe gesucht’ sign on the café door? That's a job advert — maybe for you.
If you're studying or on a working holiday in Germany, sooner or later you'll look for a part-time job. There's a note on the bakery door, and at the interview people start talking about hours, shifts and pay. Without the words, you just nod and say ‘Ja’.
Today's ten words cover part-time work and mini-jobs. You'll be able to read job notices, understand the type of contract, talk about shifts and ask about pay with confidence. 💼
📋 The ten words at a glance
- die Teilzeit — part-time (work)
- der Minijob — mini-job (low-paid marginal employment)
- der Nebenjob — side job, part-time job
- jobben — to have a casual/temporary job
- die Aushilfe — temporary help, temp; part-time job
- die Schicht — (social) class, stratum; layer; shift (at work)
- der Mindestlohn — minimum wage
- verdienen — to earn; to deserve
- der Kellner — waiter
- die Nachtschicht — night shift
🧠 Words, examples and memory tricks
die Teilzeit
[TILE-tsite]part-time (work)(Sg.)
📌 Sie arbeitet in Teilzeit.
→ She works part-time.
💡 Teil (part) + Zeit (time) = working part of the time ⏰ The opposite is Vollzeit.
Bonus in Teilzeit arbeiten = to work part-time
der Minijob
[MIN-ee-jop]mini-job (low-paid marginal employment)(Pl. die Minijobs)
📌 Neben dem Studium hat sie einen Minijob im Supermarkt.
→ Alongside her studies she has a mini-job at the supermarket.
💡 A mini job, literally 🧩 Looks English, but Germany made it up.
⚠ English speakers won't know it. It means a German job type with an earnings cap.
der Nebenjob
[NAY-ben-jop]side job, part-time job(Pl. die Nebenjobs)
📌 Viele Studierende finanzieren ihr Studium mit einem Nebenjob.
→ Many students fund their studies with a side job.
💡 neben (next to) + Job = the job next to your main thing 👜 Like studying.
Bonus on the side, as a second job = nebenberuflich
jobben
[JOB-en]to have a casual/temporary job(jobbt – hat gejobbt)
📌 In den Ferien jobbe ich in einem Café.
→ In the holidays I work in a café.
💡 Add -en to Job and you've got a verb 🛠️ It feels casual and temporary.
⚠ Not for a real career. For that, use arbeiten.
die Aushilfe
[OWSS-hil-fuh]temporary help, temp; part-time job(Pl. die Aushilfen)
📌 Das Café sucht eine Aushilfe für das Wochenende.
→ The café is looking for weekend help.
💡 aus + Hilfe (help) = someone who helps out 🙋 ‘Aushilfe gesucht’ = help wanted!
Bonus The verb: aushelfen = to help out
die Schicht
[shikht](social) class, stratum; layer; shift (at work)(Pl. die Schichten)
📌 Bildungschancen sind in Deutschland noch immer eng an die soziale Schicht gekoppelt.
→ Educational opportunities in Germany are still closely linked to social class.
💡 The day sliced into layers like a cake 🍰 Frühschicht, Spätschicht, Nachtschicht.
⚠ It also means ‘layer’ and ‘social class’. Context tells you which.
der Mindestlohn
[MIN-dest-lone]minimum wage(Pl. die Mindestlöhne)
📌 Der Mindestlohn wurde zum Jahresbeginn erhöht.
→ The minimum wage was raised at the start of the year.
💡 mindestens (at least) + Lohn (wage) = the least you can be paid 💶
Bonus Wage = der Lohn; salary = das Gehalt
verdienen
[fair-DEE-nen]to earn; to deserve(verdient – hat verdient)
📌 Wie viel verdienst du im Monat?
→ How much do you earn a month?
💡 From dienen (to serve) 💰 You serve, you earn.
Bonus Das hast du dir verdient! = You've earned it!
der Kellner
[KELL-ner]waiter(Pl. die Kellner (f: die Kellnerin) · Swiss: der Serviceangestellte)
📌 Der Kellner bringt die Speisekarte.
→ The waiter brings the menu.
💡 Originally the man in charge of the Keller (cellar) 🍷 Promoted upstairs to serve tables!
Bonus A female server is die Kellnerin. To call one, just say ‘Entschuldigung!’
die Nachtschicht
[NAKHT-shikht]night shift(Pl. die Nachtschichten)
📌 Meine Mutter ist Krankenschwester und hat diese Woche Nachtschicht.
→ My mother is a nurse and is on night shift this week.
💡 Nacht (night) + Schicht (shift) = night shift 🌙 Bring coffee.
Bonus Early shift = die Frühschicht, late shift = die Spätschicht
🇩🇪 A spoonful of German culture
When Germans talk about part-time student jobs, the Minijob comes up a lot. It's a job with a monthly earnings limit, and the tax and insurance side is kept simple. The limit can change, so check the current rules before you sign.
Many university students also work as a Werkstudent at a company related to their studies. International students may have limits on how much they can work, depending on their residence permit, so it's worth checking first.
In cafés and restaurants, tips (Trinkgeld) are a nice extra. How staff share them depends on the place, so ask on your first day! 💶
✅ Quick quiz
Q. Your boss asks: ‘Kannst du am Samstag die Nachtschicht übernehmen?’ When would you be working?
- ① in der Nacht
- ② am Morgen
- ③ am Nachmittag
Show the answer
① in der Nacht
A Nachtschicht is a shift at night (Nacht).
Say ‘Ich suche einen Nebenjob.’ out loud today, as if you're at an interview. Good luck with the job hunt! 🍀
🔜 Tomorrow's topic: 🕔 German work culture