“Wenn ich groß bin” — When I Grow Up Song in German for Kids
In “Wenn ich groß bin” (When I Grow Up), kids sing key German words like Arzt, Lehrer, Koch and Feuerwehrmann, going back and forth between English and German, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a next-step (A2) song from Unit 18: Jobs, 2:42 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇩🇪 German
- Level: A2
- Unit 18 · Die Berufe
- ⏱ 2:42
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“Wenn ich groß bin” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. German is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| When I grow up, what will I be? | Was werde ich, wenn ich groß bin? |
| Ich möchte Ärztin werden — come and see! | |
| Doctor! Arzt! Say it with me! | |
| Ich helfe dir, gesund zu sein. | I help you stay healthy. |
| Teacher! Lehrer! Who helps us learn? | |
| Ich möchte Lehrerin werden, turn by turn! | |
| I read a book, you read along, | Ich lese ein Buch, du liest mit, |
| Wir lernen Deutsch in unsrem Song! | We’re learning German in our song! |
| I want to be — ich möchte werden! | |
| Say the job, then say it again! | Sag den Beruf, dann sag ihn noch mal! |
| Doctor — Arzt! Teacher — Lehrer! | |
| Dream big, little friends, and sing together! | Träumt groß, kleine Freunde, und singt zusammen! |
| Ich möchte Ärztin, Lehrerin sein! | I want to be a doctor, a teacher! |
| One word in English, one word auf Deutsch! | |
| Chef! Koch! What’s for lunch today? | |
| Ich möchte Köchin werden — hooray! | |
| Firefighter! Feuerwehrmann! | |
| Ich helfe, wenn ich helfen kann. | I help whenever I can. |
| Farmer! Bauer! Plant the seed, | |
| Ich möchte Bäuerin werden — watch things grow! | |
| I want to be — ich möchte werden! | |
| Say the job, then say it again! | Sag den Beruf, dann sag ihn noch mal! |
| Doctor — Arzt! Teacher — Lehrer! | |
| Dream big, little friends, and sing together! | Träumt groß, kleine Freunde, und singt zusammen! |
| Ich möchte Ärztin, Lehrerin sein! | I want to be a doctor, a teacher! |
| One word in English, one word auf Deutsch! | |
| What do you want to be? | Was möchtest du werden? |
| Was möchtest du werden? | What do you want to be? |
| A chef? A farmer? Pick your dream! | Koch? Bauer? Such dir deinen Traum aus! |
| Ein Koch, ein Bauer — say it with me! | |
| I want to be — ich möchte werden! | |
| Say the job, then say it again! | Sag den Beruf, dann sag ihn noch mal! |
| Doctor — Arzt! Teacher — Lehrer! | |
| Dream big, little friends, and sing together! | Träumt groß, kleine Freunde, und singt zusammen! |
| Ich möchte Ärztin, Lehrerin sein! | I want to be a doctor, a teacher! |
| One word in English, one word auf Deutsch! | |
| When I grow up, I’ll choose my way! | Wenn ich groß bin, wähle ich meinen Weg! |
| Ich möchte werden — hooray, hooray! | |
Key German words in this song
The 6 words and phrases this song is built around.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Arzt | doctor |
| Lehrer | teacher |
| Koch | chef |
| Feuerwehrmann | firefighter |
| Bauer | farmer |
| ich möchte … werden | I want to be |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Count the “Arzt”s
“Arzt” means “doctor” and comes up on 3 lines. Keep count on your fingers together; older kids can try to predict when it's coming next.
- 2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the German ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
- 3
Make it a routine
At 2:42, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Spot people at work on your next outing and name their job in German.
“When I Grow Up” in other languages
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134 German songs, 32 topics, one joyful habit
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