das  Krankenbett

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈkʁaŋkn̩ˌbɛt/

🛌 What exactly is a Krankenbett?

A Krankenbett (neuter noun, article: das) is a special bed designed for people who are sick, injured, or require nursing care. It often differs from a normal bed through features like adjustability (e.g., for the head and foot sections), side rails, or other devices intended to facilitate care and increase patient comfort.

It is used in hospitals and nursing facilities, as well as sometimes in home care settings.

🚨 There is only one article for this word: das Krankenbett.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Das Krankenbett

The noun 'Krankenbett' is neuter. Here are the declension tables:

Singular

Plural

Example Sentences

• Der Patient liegt im Krankenbett. (The patient is lying in the sickbed.)
• Die Verstellung des Krankenbettes ist elektronisch. (The adjustment of the hospital bed is electronic.)
• Der Arzt trat an das Krankenbett heran. (The doctor approached the sickbed.)
• Das Krankenhaus braucht neue Krankenbetten. (The hospital needs new hospital beds.)

💡 How to use 'Krankenbett'?

The term Krankenbett is usually used very specifically for beds intended for sick people. It often implies a situation of illness or need for care.

• Typical Contexts: Hospitals (Krankenhäuser), nursing homes (Pflegeheime), home care (häusliche Pflege).
• Common Phrases:
  • ans Krankenbett gefesselt sein: to be confined/bound to one's sickbed due to illness.
  • jemanden am Krankenbett besuchen: to visit someone who is sick (at their bedside).
  • das Krankenbett hüten: to have to stay in bed because one is sick (lit. 'to guard the sickbed').
• Differentiation: A normal 'Bett' is for healthy people to sleep in. A 'Pflegebett' (nursing bed) is often synonymous with 'Krankenbett' but sometimes emphasizes the aspect of long-term care more strongly. 'Krankenlager' is a somewhat outdated or more general term for the place where a sick person lies.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic (das): Think of the neutral hospital room (das Zimmer) - inside it stands das Krankenbett. Or: Many medical devices in German are neuter (das Stethoskop, das Thermometer, das EKG-Gerät) – so is das bed for the sick.

Meaning Mnemonic: The word is composed of 'Kranken' (relating to sick people) and 'Bett' (bed). It literally means the 'bed for the sick'. Imagine a cranky person needing a special bed.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar, but different words:

• Krankentrage: Stretcher; used for transporting the sick/injured, not a bed for long-term lying.
• Bettlägerigkeit: Bedriddenness; the state of being confined to bed (abstract noun).

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat das Krankenbett keine Geheimnisse?
Weil immer jemand darin liegt und lauscht!

(Why does the sickbed have no secrets? Because someone is always lying in it and listening/eavesdropping! - 'lauschen' means to listen intently or eavesdrop)

📜 A Little Poem

Im Zimmer still und weiß,
steht es da, zu keinem Spaß bereit.
Das Krankenbett, ein Ort der Ruh,
hilft heilen, schließt die Augen zu.
Mal hoch, mal tief, ganz wie's gefällt,
bis man zurück zur Kraft sich quält.

(In the room, quiet and white,
it stands there, not ready for fun.
The sickbed, a place of rest,
helps heal, closes the eyes.
Sometimes high, sometimes low, just as one likes,
until one struggles back to strength.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich habe Kopf und Fuß, doch kann nicht geh'n.
Ich diene Kranken, musst du sie pflegen oder seh'n.
Man kann mich hoch und runter fahren,
um Schmerzen und Beschwerden zu ersparen.

Was bin ich?

(I have a head and foot, but cannot walk.
I serve the sick, should you need to care for or see them.
You can move me up and down,
to save from pain and discomfort.

What am I?)

Solution: das Krankenbett

🧩 Additional Information about das Krankenbett

Word Composition

Krankenbett is a compound noun, composed of:

• Kranken: Relating to 'sick person(s)'. It's the plural stem or a form of the noun 'der/die Kranke' (the sick person).
• Bett: The piece of furniture for sleeping or lying down.

The connecting element -n- links the two parts.

Cultural Notes

The 'Krankenbett' is often a symbol of illness, but also of care and recovery. Visiting someone at their 'Krankenbett' (Besuch am Krankenbett) is an important social act of showing sympathy and support in many cultures.