Krebs
/kʁeːps/masculine
The German word for cancer is Krebs.
Krebs is the standard term used to refer to the disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation.
Meaning: disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Krebs means 'crab'.
Which one should you use?
Krebs is a homonym in German. It can refer to the disease, the crustacean (crab), the astrological sign or the constellation. The term Karzinom is a more specific, formal term used to describe certain types of cancers, particularly epithelial cancers.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Krebs is a masculine noun. In many common expressions, such as an Krebs sterben (to die of cancer), it does not take an article.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁeːps/
Did you know?
- The German word Krebs is a distant linguistic relative of the Greek word gráphein, meaning 'to scratch' or 'to etch'.
- In German, the word Krebs can refer to both the specific disease and the broader category of crustaceans, including crayfish.
Examples in context
- Er starb an Krebs.He died of cancer.This sentence is useful for describing a cause of death using Krebs.Tatoeba #7712430 by wolfgangth, translation #286501 by CK
- Tom leidet an Krebs.Tom is suffering from cancer.This sentence is useful for describing someone suffering from a condition using Krebs.Tatoeba #3488388 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2276370 by CK
- Mein Hund hat Krebs.My dog has cancer.This sentence is useful for stating that an animal has the disease using Krebs.Tatoeba #5962804 by BlundaInte, translation #5958708 by mailohilohi
- Mein Vater leidet an Krebs.My father is suffering from cancer.
- Das Basalzellkarzinom ist eine Art von Hautkrebs.Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer.
- Hast du gehört? Anna hat Krebs.Have you heard? Anna has cancer.
- 110 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are discussing a news report about medical research.
- FelixGibt es neue Medikamente gegen Krebs?Are there new medicines against cancer?
- HannahJa, die Forschung ist sehr wichtig.Yes, the research is very important.
- FelixViele Menschen kämpfen gegen Krebs.Many people are fighting against cancer.
- HannahDas ist wirklich eine schwere Krankheit.That is truly a difficult disease.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cancer” translations and entries Krebs, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Krebs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
