die
Krankheit
🤧 What does "die Krankheit" mean?
Die Krankheit (noun, feminine) refers to a state of the body or mind that deviates from a healthy state and is often associated with symptoms such as pain, discomfort, or dysfunction. It's the general term for an illness, sickness, or disease.
There is only one article, "die", for this word because it is a feminine noun (identifiable by the suffix -heit).
- Meaning 1: The state of being ill or sick (illness, sickness).
- Meaning 2: A specific ailment or disorder (disease).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-heit → always feminine.
The Grammar behind "die Krankheit" 🧐
Krankheit is a feminine noun. The article is always "die". Nouns ending in -heit are almost always feminine in German.
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die Krankheit | eine Krankheit |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der Krankheit | einer Krankheit |
| Dative (To/For whom?) | der Krankheit | einer Krankheit |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die Krankheit | eine Krankheit |
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Krankheiten | Krankheiten / einige Krankheiten |
| Genitive | der Krankheiten | Krankheiten / einiger Krankheiten |
| Dative | den Krankheiten | Krankheiten / einigen Krankheiten |
| Accusative | die Krankheiten | Krankheiten / einige Krankheiten |
Example Sentences 📝
- Die Krankheit zwang ihn, im Bett zu bleiben.
(The illness forced him to stay in bed.) - Er leidet an einer seltenen Krankheit.
(He suffers from a rare disease.) - Die Forschung nach Heilmitteln für schwere Krankheiten macht Fortschritte.
(Research into cures for serious diseases is making progress.) - Wegen seiner Krankheit konnte er nicht zur Arbeit gehen.
(Because of his illness, he couldn't go to work.) - Viele Krankheiten sind heute heilbar.
(Many diseases are curable today.)
Usage in Daily Life 🗣️
Krankheit is used very frequently when talking about health and well-being. It's the standard term in medical contexts, but also in everyday language.
- General condition: "Seine lange Krankheit hat ihn sehr geschwächt." (His long illness weakened him greatly.)
- Specific ailments: "Die Grippe ist eine ansteckende Krankheit." (The flu is a contagious disease.)
- Figurative meaning: Sometimes used metaphorically, e.g., "Die Bürokratie ist eine Krankheit dieses Systems." (Bureaucracy is a disease of this system.) (rare, implies criticism)
Distinction from similar words:
- Leiden (suffering, ailment): Often more emotional or chronic, not always a specific diagnosis.
- Erkrankung (illness, disease): Sounds slightly more formal or medical than Krankheit, but often used synonymously.
- Gebrechen (infirmity, ailment): More for age-related or chronic complaints.
How to Remember "die Krankheit" 💡
Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -heit are (almost always) feminine in German. Think of die Schönheit (beauty), die Freiheit (freedom), and thus also die Krankheit. The ending sets the gender!
Meaning Mnemonic: Someone who is krank (sick) has a Krankheit (sickness/illness). The adjective krank is right inside the noun. If someone looks krank, you might think they have a Krankheit.
Word Family: Similar & Opposite 🔄
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Erkrankung: Very similar, often slightly more formal.
- Leiden: Often emphasizes suffering, can be chronic.
- Gebrechen: More for minor, often age-related complaints.
- Malheur (outdated): Misfortune, mishap, rarely used for illness.
- Übel: General term for something bad, including illness.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning)
- Gesundheit: Health, the state of physical and mental well-being.
- Wohlbefinden: Well-being, a general feeling of contentment and health.
- Fitness: Physical fitness/capability.
Related Terms
- krank: adjective (sick, ill)
- kränkeln: verb (to be sickly, ailing)
- Krankenhaus: noun (hospital)
- Krankenpfleger / Krankenschwester: noun (nurse - male/female)
- Krankenkasse: noun (health insurance fund)
A Little Joke 😄
Patient: "Herr Doktor, ich habe jeden Morgen nach dem Aufstehen Kopfschmerzen."
Doktor: "Dann stehen Sie doch einfach nachmittags auf!"
Patient: "Doctor, I have a headache every morning when I get up."
Doctor: "Then just get up in the afternoon!"
Poem about Illness 📜
Die Krankheit schleicht, mal leis', mal laut,
nimmt Kraft und Mut, hat viel geklaut.
Doch Hoffnung keimt, ein kleiner Funken,
dass Gesundheit bald wird neu gewunken.
Man kämpft und hofft, Tag für Tag,
bis Wohlbefinden wieder siegen mag.
Illness creeps, sometimes quiet, sometimes loud,
takes strength and courage, stolen much from the crowd.
But hope sprouts, a tiny spark,
that health will soon make its new mark.
One fights and hopes, day by day,
until well-being wins the fray.
Riddle Time 🕵️♀️
Ich bin kein Gast, den man gern sieht,
bring Unwohlsein und manches Lied
von Schmerz und Schwäche, groß und klein.
Der Doktor kämpft, ich soll nicht sein.
Man wünscht mich fort mit aller Macht,
hab' manchen schon ins Bett gebracht.
Was bin ich?
I am no guest you like to see,
bringing discomfort and many a plea
of pain and weakness, large and small.
The doctor fights, I shouldn't be at all.
You wish me gone with all your might,
I've put many to bed, day and night.
What am I?
Solution: Die Krankheit (Illness/Disease)
Trivia & More 🤓
Word Composition:
The word "Krankheit" is composed of:
- The adjective krank (ill, sick)
- The suffix -heit, which turns adjectives into nouns, usually describing a state or quality (similar to -ness in English).
Common Idioms:
- Eine Krankheit vorschützen/vortäuschen: To feign/fake an illness.
- Eine Krankheit ausbrüten: To be coming down with an illness (lit. 'to hatch an illness').
- An einer Krankheit leiden: To suffer from an illness.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Krankheit?
The German word Krankheit is a feminine noun. The correct article is always die: die Krankheit. The plural form is die Krankheiten.