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German Phrase

Ich hab' Mathe und Bio.

/ɪç haːp ˈmaːtə ʊnt ˈbi.o/
Meaning"I have math and biology."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘I have math and biology.’ In a school context it means ‘I am taking (or have) the subjects math and biology.’ The sentence is informal; a more formal version would be ‘Ich habe Mathematik und Biologie.’

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When to use

Use this phrase when talking about your class schedule, homework load, or the subjects you are studying. It’s typical in casual conversation among classmates, on the playground, or in a quick chat with friends.

✦Grammar Breakdown

IchhabMatheundBio

1

hab (colloquial)

‘hab’ is the spoken contraction of ‘habe’. In informal conversation you can drop the ‘e’ after the verb ‘haben’.

2

Mathe

Short for ‘Mathematik’. Commonly used in everyday speech, especially among students.

3

Bio

Abbreviation of ‘Biologie’. Like Mathe, it’s a casual way to refer to the subject.

4

und (conjunction)

Connects two nouns of the same grammatical case; here both subjects are in the accusative (object of ‘haben’).

🗨In Conversation

A

Was hast du heute im Stundenplan?

What do you have on the timetable today?

Ich hab' Mathe und Bio.

I have math and biology.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Sie hab Mathe und Bio.

    When speaking formally or addressing someone with ‘Sie’, use ‘haben’ instead of the colloquial ‘hab’.

  • Ich hab das Mathe und das Bio.

    Do not insert an article before the subject names; ‘Mathe’ and ‘Bio’ are used without articles in this construction.

  • Ich hab Mathe Bio.

    If you list more than two subjects, separate them with commas and use ‘und’ before the last one.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich habe Mathematik und Biologie.

    I have mathematics and biology.

  • Ich nehme Mathe und Bio.

    I’m taking math and biology.

  • Ich habe Mathe und Bio.

    I have math and biology.

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Cultural Tip

German students frequently shorten subject names: ‘Mathe’ for Mathematik, ‘Bio’ for Biologie, ‘Physik’ for Physik, etc. The contraction ‘hab’ is typical in spoken German, especially among younger speakers. In written or formal contexts you should use the full verb ‘habe’ and the full subject names.