A1 · 49 words
The body and health in German
What hurts, where it hurts, and the dative construction German uses to say so.
Saying that something hurts is one of the first things a learner genuinely needs and one of the first places German stops matching English. Mir tut der Kopf weh — the head does the hurting and the person is in the dative. The same shape carries mir ist schlecht and wie geht es dir. Body parts also take the definite article where English uses a possessive: Ich wasche mir die Hände, not "my hands". The dative reflexive already says whose they are, so a possessive would be saying it twice.
The words
Verb (7)
wehtunto hurtVerbA1
Separable, and it takes a dative for the person.
hustento coughVerbA2
untersuchento examineVerbA2
Inseparable: no ge- in the participle.
sich fühlento feelVerbA1
Reflexive, and the pronoun is obligatory.
sich ausruhento restVerbA2
Reflexive and separable at once.
einschlafento fall asleepVerbA2
Separable, and it takes "sein": ich bin eingeschlafen.
schluckento swallowVerbA2
Noun (34)
der KörperbodyNounA1
Plural: die Körper.
der KopfheadNounA1
Plural: die Köpfe.
das GesichtfaceNounA1
Plural: die Gesichter.
das AugeeyeNounA1
Plural: die Augen — one of the few nouns with an -n plural that is neuter.
das OhrearNounA1
Plural: die Ohren.
die NasenoseNounA1
Plural: die Nasen.
der MundmouthNounA1
Plural: die Münder.
der ZahntoothNounA1
Plural: die Zähne.
der Halsneck, throatNounA1
Plural: die Hälse. One word for both neck and throat.
die HandhandNounA1
Plural: die Hände.
der ArmarmNounA1
Plural: die Arme.
das BeinlegNounA1
Plural: die Beine.
der FußfootNounA1
Plural: die Füße.
der RückenbackNounA1
Plural: die Rücken.
der Bauchstomach, bellyNounA1
Plural: die Bäuche.
das HerzheartNounA2
Plural: die Herzen. An unusual declension: des Herzens, dem Herzen.
das BlutbloodNounA2
No plural.
die HautskinNounA2
Plural: die Häute, rarely used.
das HaarhairNounA1
Plural: die Haare. German usually uses the plural where English uses the singular.
die SchmerzenpainNounA1
Plural only in this sense. The singular "der Schmerz" is more literary.
die ErkältungcoldNounA2
Plural: die Erkältungen. Feminine, because of -ung.
das Fieberfever, temperatureNounA2
No plural.
die Sprechstundeconsulting hoursNounA2
Plural: die Sprechstunden.
die Praxissurgery, practiceNounA2
Plural: die Praxen.
der TerminappointmentNounA1
Plural: die Termine.
das Medikamentmedicine, drugNounA2
Plural: die Medikamente.
das Rezeptprescription; recipeNounA2
Plural: die Rezepte. Two meanings, one word.
die Versicherungskarteinsurance cardNounA2
Plural: die Versicherungskarten.
der Notarztemergency doctorNounA2
Plural: die Notärzte. The emergency number across Europe is 112.
die Krankschreibungsick noteNounA2
Plural: die Krankschreibungen. In everyday speech also "der gelbe Schein".
die GesundheithealthNounA2
No plural.
der SchmerzpainNounA2
Plural: die Schmerzen.
die KopfschmerzenheadacheNounA2
Usually plural; der Kopfschmerz is rare.
der ZahnarztdentistNounA2
Plural: die Zahnärzte. The woman is die Zahnärztin.
Adjective (8)
krankill, sickAdjectiveA1
gesundhealthy, wellAdjectiveA1
Comparative: gesünder.
müdetiredAdjectiveA1
besserbetterAdjectiveA1
The comparative of "gut", irregular in German as in English.
wehsore, painful (wehtun: to hurt)AdjectiveA1
erkältethaving a coldAdjectiveA2
totdeadAdjectiveA2
anstrengendtiring, exhaustingAdjectiveB1
This list belongs to Body, health and medicine — 51 lists and 1862 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 49 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.