Krankenpfleger
[ˈkʁaŋkn̩ˌpfleːɡɐ]
The German phrase for male nurse is Krankenpfleger.
A man who is trained to care for sick or injured people in a hospital.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of kranken (sick/patients) and Pfleger (caregiver/caretaker).
Which one should you use?
Krankenpfleger is the masculine form and is used specifically to denote a male nurse, whereas Krankenpflegerin denotes a female nurse.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, the term Pfleger is the usual and widely recognized term for a male nurse. In Austria, the term Diplomierter Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger is commonly used for a male nurse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form is Krankenpflegerin, formed by adding the suffix -in to the masculine noun.
Did you know?
- The root word krank is a cognate of the English word 'cranky'. Originally, both referred to being physically ill or 'crooked' before 'cranky' shifted to mean irritable.
- While Krankenpfleger describes the profession, the verb pflegen also means 'to groom' or 'to maintain', such as when one 'tends' to a garden or a friendship.
- In modern German professional settings, many people now use gender-neutral terms like 'Pflegefachkraft' to describe a nurse, regardless of whether they are male or female.
Examples in context
- Ein Pfleger kümmert sich rührend um die Patienten.A male nurse takes care of the patients affectionately.
- Er ist Krankenpfleger und arbeitet in einer Klinik.He is a male nurse and works in a clinic.
- Mein Bruder ist Pfleger in einem Altenheim.My brother is a male nurse in a nursing home.
- Er arbeitet als Krankenpfleger.He works as a male nurse.
- Mein Bruder ist ein erfahrener Krankenpfleger.My brother is an experienced male nurse.
- Wir suchen einen neuen Krankenpfleger für die Nachtschicht.We are looking for a new male nurse for the night shift.
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian are discussing her brother's career at a cafe.
- MaximilianWas macht dein Bruder beruflich?What does your brother do for a living?
- SarahEr ist Krankenpfleger im Stadtkrankenhaus.He is a male nurse at the city hospital.
- MaximilianDas ist ein sehr wichtiger Beruf.That is a very important profession.
- SarahJa, er liebt seine Arbeit dort.Yes, he loves his work there.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Krankenpfleger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
