Ich bin krank
To say "I am sick" in German, use Ich bin krank.
Ich bin krank is a general statement used to say that you are suffering from an illness or poor health.
Which one should you use?
Ich bin krank describes a general state of illness. If you want to specify that you have a common cold, you should use Ich bin erkältet. If you specifically mean that you feel nauseous or queasy, use Mir ist schlecht.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany, people might use Mir isch schlecht. to express that they feel bad or feel sick.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Ich bin schlecht to mean you feel nauseous. In German, Ich bin schlecht means "I am a bad person" or "I am bad at something". Instead, use Mir ist schlecht to describe nausea.
Did you know?
- The phrase krank is sometimes used as slang in modern German to describe something 'insane' or 'extreme', similar to the English 'sick'.
- In a professional context, a German worker must often provide a Krankschreibung, which is a formal written note from a doctor proving they are krank.
- The word krank is a linguistic relative of the English word 'crank'.
Examples in context
- Sag, ich bin krank!Say I am sick!This sentence shows how to use the phrase in an imperative command.Tatoeba #1561890 by Zaghawa, translation #1293551 by al_ex_an_der
- Ich kann nicht rauchen. Ich bin krank.I cannot smoke. I am sick.This example shows the phrase used to explain a reason for not being able to do something.Tatoeba #13959548 by Vortarulo, translation #1688791 by Amastan
- Ich bin krank.I am sick.This is a simple statement of the phrase itself.Tatoeba #448232 by Dominika, translation #436427 by lukaszpp
- Entschuldigung, Herr Schmidt. Ich bin krank und kann heute nicht zur Arbeit kommen.Sorry, Mr. Schmidt. I am sick and cannot come to work today.
- Hey, ich fühle mich schlecht. Ich bin krank und konnte den ganzen Tag nichts essen.Hey, I feel bad. I am sick and couldn't eat anything all day.
Example conversation
Hannah is calling Felix to cancel their meeting.
- HannahHallo Felix, ich bin krank.Hello Felix, I am sick.
- FelixOh nein, was hast du?Oh no, what do you have?
- HannahIch habe Fieber und Husten.I have a fever and a cough.
- FelixGute Besserung, Hannah!Get well soon, Hannah!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ich, bin, ich, krank, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
