Gute Besserung
The English phrase "get better soon" is expressed in German as Gute Besserung.
This phrase is used to wish someone a speedy recovery from an illness or injury. Gute Besserung! is the most common and widely used phrase in German for this purpose.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'good improvement' or 'good recovery.'
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Gute Besserung, the word Gute is the feminine singular nominative form of the adjective gut, which agrees with the feminine noun Besserung.
Did you know?
- If someone is recovering from a very serious or long-term condition, Germans might switch to more empathetic phrases like Viel Kraft! which means 'Much strength!'
- When visiting someone in a hospital, it is common to pair Gute Besserung with a small gift like flowers or a book, as the phrase alone can feel very brief in person.
- Unlike English, where 'get better' can refer to improving a skill, Gute Besserung is almost never used to wish someone improvement in a hobby or professional skill.
Examples in context
- Gute Besserung!I hope you'll get better soon.This example shows how to use Gute Besserung to wish someone a speedy recovery.Tatoeba #1340959 by enteka, translation #2160734 by CM
- Ich hoffe, es geht dir bald besser.I hope you feel better soon.
- Ich denke an dich und wünsche dir eine schnelle Genesung.I'm thinking of you and wishing you a quick recovery.
- Ich wünsche dir Gute Besserung.I wish you a speedy recovery.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix tells Hannah that he has a bad cold.
- HannahHast du immer noch Fieber?Do you still have a fever?
- FelixJa, leider bin ich sehr krank.Yes, unfortunately I am very sick.
- HannahOh nein, Gute Besserung, Felix!Oh no, get better soon, Felix!
- FelixVielen Dank, Hannah.Thank you very much, Hannah.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
