Krankenschwester
/ˈkʁaŋkənˌʃvɛstɐ/feminine
The German word for nurse is Krankenschwester. Wiktionary also lists Krankenpfleger.
Meaning: person trained to provide care for the sick (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Krankenschwester | /ˈkʁaŋkənˌʃvɛstɐ/ | feminine |
| Krankenpfleger | [ˈkʁaŋkn̩ˌpfleːɡɐ] (narrow) | masculine |
A nurse is a person trained to provide care for the sick. While the gendered forms are common, the modern professional term Pflegekraft is often used to refer to nursing staff in a gender-neutral way.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Krankenschwester is a compound of krank (sick) and Schwester (sister).
Which one should you use?
Krankenschwester is specifically used for a female nurse, whereas Krankenpfleger is used for a male nurse.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkʁaŋkənˌʃvɛstɐ/
Did you know?
- If you call a female nurse a Schwester in a hospital, it is common shorthand, but calling a male nurse a Bruder would be incorrect and strange.
- The term Krankenschwester reflects the historical role of religious orders in medicine, where nuns provided the primary care for the sick.
- The verb pflegen used in Krankenpfleger also means 'to cultivate' or 'to maintain', as in keeping a friendship or a garden.
Examples in context
- John mag den Krankenpfleger.John likes the nurse.This sentence shows how to express liking a male nurse using Krankenpfleger.Tatoeba #13932813 by Naina, translation #497956 by FeuDRenais
- Ich bin eine Krankenschwester.I'm a nurse.This sentence is used to state that one is a female nurse using Krankenschwester.Tatoeba #772279 by Esperantostern, translation #256726 by CK
- Mein Neffe ist Krankenpfleger.My nephew is a nurse.This sentence describes a male relative's profession using Krankenpfleger.Tatoeba #8307854 by Luiaard, translation #8307853 by Luiaard
- Sie ist eine Krankenschwester in einem Krankenhaus.She is a nurse in a hospital.
- Er ist ein Krankenpfleger und arbeitet in einer Klinik.He is a nurse and works in a clinic.
- Das Krankenhaus beschäftigt viele Gesundheits- und Krankenpflegerinnen und Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger.The hospital employs many male and female nurses.
- Ist die Schwester schon bei dir gewesen?Has the nurse been to see you yet?
- Kannst du bitte den Pfleger rufen?Can you please call the nurse?
- 140 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Felix are talking about his sister's job in a hospital.
- LauraIst deine Schwester eine Krankenschwester?Is your sister a nurse?
- FelixJa, sie arbeitet als Krankenschwester.Yes, she works as a nurse.
- LauraDas ist ein sehr guter Beruf.That is a very good profession.
- FelixStimmt, sie hilft gerne anderen Menschen.True, she likes helping other people.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nurse” translations and entries Krankenschwester, Krankenpfleger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
