noun
apprenticeship, teaching
B1
Lehre (die): means 'apprenticeship' or 'teaching' (also vocational training). Feminine noun with plural Lehren. Common in contexts like 'eine Lehre machen' (do an apprenticeship) or 'die Lehre einer Theorie' (the teaching/doctrine). Declines regularly: die Lehre, die Lehren; dative der Lehre, den Lehren.
Examples
Die Lehre an der Universität befasste sich mit moderner Sprachforschung.
The teaching at the university focused on modern language research.
Er macht eine Lehre als Tischler.
He is doing an apprenticeship as a carpenter.
Der junge Mann schloss die Lehre ab, nachdem er die Prüfungen bestand.
The young man completed the apprenticeship after he passed the exams.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a workshop where someone learns a trade: a mentor showing tools to an apprentice under a banner 'Lehre'.
Sounds like 'layer' — imagine layers of instruction during an apprenticeship.
die (feminine) — think 'die Lehre' as the class or program (feminine noun).
Notes
Lehre can mean a formal apprenticeship (vocational training) or, more generally, teaching/doctrine depending on context. In vocational contexts it often pairs with 'eine Lehre machen/absolvieren'.