Ich habe Zöliakie
The English phrase 'I have celiac disease' is translated into German as Ich habe Zöliakie.
This phrase is used to inform others that you have a medical condition that makes you unable to eat gluten. If you need to emphasize the severity of your condition, you can say Ich habe eine starke / schwere Zöliakie, daher muss ich besonders auf Spuren von Gluten achten (I have severe celiac disease, so I have to be especially careful about traces of gluten). To explain your dietary restrictions more broadly, you can use the sentence Ich muss glutenfrei essen, da ich Zöliakie habe. Das bedeutet, dass ich keine Nahrungsmittel mit Weizen, Gerste, Roggen oder Hafer essen kann (I have to eat gluten-free because I have celiac disease. That means I cannot eat foods with wheat, barley, rye or oats). In practical situations like dining at a restaurant, it is often helpful to simply use the adjective glutenfrei (gluten-free) to describe your dietary needs.
What does it mean word for word?
The word habe is the first-person singular form of the verb haben, which means 'to have'.
Which one should you use?
While Ich habe Zöliakie is a standard way to state the condition, you can also use the noun-based forms Ich bin Zöliakiker for a male speaker or Ich bin Zöliakikerin for a female speaker to say 'I am a celiac'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the direct object case (accusative) for the disease. However, because Zöliakie is an uncountable noun in this context, the form does not change.
Did you know?
- In Germany, you will often see the symbol of a crossed-out grain of wheat on food packaging to signal that a product is glutenfrei.
- The term Zöliakie comes from the Latin word coeliacus, which refers to the 'abdomen' rather than the gluten itself. It is an anatomical reference to where the disease affects the body.
- The German word Zöliakie is a feminine noun, which affects how adjectives like starke or schwere are declined when describing the severity of the disease.
Examples in context
- Passt dieses Gericht für mich? Ich habe Zöliakie.Is this dish suitable for me? I have celiac disease.
- Ich habe Zöliakie und muss sehr vorsichtig sein.I have celiac disease and must be very careful.
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are at a restaurant looking at the menu.
- SarahIch glaube, ich bestelle die Pasta.I think I will order the pasta.
- LukasIst die Pasta glutenfrei?Is the pasta gluten-free?
- SarahJa, denn ich habe Zöliakie.Yes, because I have celiac disease.
- LukasDann ist das eine gute Wahl, Sarah.Then that is a good choice, Sarah.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ich, Zöliakie, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
