2.3 Krankheiten und Verletzungen
Lektionsüberblick
Most people experience a number of typical illnesses (like Windpocken = chicken pox) or injuries (ein gebrochener Arm = a broken arm) in childhood. Talking about these experiences with new friends can help us bond with each other, which will be useful when you are in a German-speaking country for a study abroad, internship, or other kind of experience.
This lesson will focus on talking about such illnesses (in the present and the past). In the end, you will be able to 1) talk about typical illnesses and treatments, 2) talk about injuries and their typical treatments, and 3) talk about past illnesses and injuries.
1) Krankheiten und Behandlungen
Let’s look at some typical illnesses and symptoms. Click through these cards, read along with the audio, and practice saying the sentences aloud.
Now let’s practice talking about being sick.
BECKI – I ADDED THIS. FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE. THE PROBLEM LIES IN THAT SOMETIMES, MORE THAN ONE TREATMENT CAN WORK FOR AN ILLNESS, SO I KEPT IT PRETTY SIMPLIFIED. BUT WE COULD ALWAYS DO A SECOND SET.
Fortunately, there are treatments for many of our illnesses and symptoms. Using your knowledge of cognates and other vocabulary you have acquired in the last semesters, see if you can complete the activity.
Kleiner Hinweis
Drogerien vs. Apotheken
In America, we have stores like CVS and Walgreens where you can purchase all sorts of odds and ends, snacks, groceries, and even pick up your prescription medicine. In Germany, a Drogerie is only for buying items like toiletries, shampoo, over-the-counter medicine, and other basics for the body. If you need a prescription filled, you will need to go to a Apotheke.
Jetzt bist du dran!
Bist du krank? Answer the question in your written journal. If you are sick right now, use the language modeled above to state which illness you have. Next, using the matching activity from above, create complete sentences that include both and an illness and a possible treatment. Zum Beispiel: Heute habe ich Kopfschmerzen, deswegen nehme ich Ibuprofen. (deswegen = for that reason)
Then record your sentences in your audio journal.
2) Verletzungen und Behandlungen
BECKI – THIS IS NEW
Let’s look at some typical illnesses and symptoms. Click through these cards, read along with the audio, and practice saying the sentences aloud.
BECKI – THE PRESENTATION BELOW INCLUDES THE TREATMENTS (CRUTCHES, ETC). BUT I INCLUDED THEM IN THE DIALOG CARDS HERE TOO. IF IT IS TOO REDUNDANT, WE CAN REMOVE BUT THEN WE NEED TO CHANGE THE SLO TITLE.
Let’s practice.
Like illnesses, there are treatments for broken bones and sprained ankles. Using your knowledge of cognates and other vocabulary you have acquired in the last semesters, see if you can complete the activity.
Kleiner Hinweis
As in English, there is more than one way to express an injury. Here are some patterns you might have recognized from above:
- Ich habe einen/eine + Adjektiv + Körperteil. –> Ich habe einen gebrochenen Arm.
- Mein/Meine + Körperteil + ist + Adjektiv. –> Mein Arm is gebrochen.
In the next part of the lesson, we will learn a third way to say this that uses the past tense.
Jetzt bist du dran!
Hast du eine Verletzung? Answer the question in your written journal. If you have an injury right now, use the language modeled above to state which injury you have.
Next, using the matching activity from above, create complete sentences that include both and an illness and a possible treatment. Zum Beispiel: Ich habe ein verstauches Handgelenk, deswegen trage ich eine Schiene. (deswegen = for that reason)
Then record your sentences in your audio journal.
3) Frühere Krankheiten und Verletzungen (PLACEHOLDER NAME)
BECKI – WITH THE NEW ORGANIZATION, THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF HERE. WE COULD REMOVE THE GRENZENLOS VIDEO AND EXERCISE TO PREVENT THE INFINITE SCROLL. IT’S A LITTLE HARD MAYBE FOR 2030.
Let’s look at how we describe injuries in the past tense.
Now let’s practice!
It’s time to look at the language in context. Listen to the interviewees describe past injuries and complete the exercise.
How often were you sick last year? Which childhood illnesses did you have? Let’s look at how to talk about being sick in the past.
Now let’s practice talking about being sick in the past.
BECKI – FOR 2030 I CONSIDERED REMOVING THE COMPLEX SENTENCES IN THS H5P BELOW BUT I KEPT THEM IN CASE YOU WANTED THEM. REMOVING THEM WOULD BE A WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN 2030 AND 2040.
Let’s check your comprehension of past and present illnesses with the following text with audio!
Jetzt bist du dran!
Warst du als Kind krank? Hattest du als Kind einmal eine Verletzung? Answer the questions in your written journal. Use the language modeled above to state which illness(es) you had.
Then record your answer in your audio journal.
Genf im Blickpunkt
In Genf gibt es eine Blumenuhr im Englischen Garten. Die Uhr funktioniert wie eine normale Uhr, aber sie ist aus Blumen und Pflanzen gemacht. Das Muster der Blumen ändert sich mit den Jahreszeiten, deshalb sieht die Uhr immer anders aus. Sie ist eine schöne Mischung aus Natur und Technik.
In Geneva, there’s a flower clock in the English Garden. The clock works like a normal clock, but it’s made of flowers and plants. The pattern of the flowers changes with the seasons, so the clock always looks different. It’s a beautiful blend of nature and technology.
Deutsch IRL
Want more? Here are some stories about being sick produced for German-language learners:
- Short story “Beim Arzt” about going to the doctor with reading comprehension questions.
- Picture story “Hast du Fieber?” about being sick with practice exercises.
- Podcast episode “Thomas ist schon wieder krank” about a work colleague who is always sick.
- Podcast episode “Der Arzttermin” about a man who goes to an appointment at his doctor’s office.
- Podcast episode “Einen guten Arzt finden” about a man with back pain needing a recommendation.
And here are some videos produced for native speakers on the effectiveness of homeopathy:
Jetzt kombinieren!
Erzähl mal von deiner Kindheit! Warst du mal richtig krank? Hattest du als Kind einmal eine Verletzung? Add to your origin story by talking about some illnesses and injuries from your childhood.
When you are done, practice this part of your origin story until it flows like natural conversation. Then record yourself in your audio journal. As always, you are more than welcome to meet with a classmate and do your recordings together!
Media Attributions
- Body parts activities adapted from Grenzenlos Deutsch licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA International License.
- Sickness and doctor dialogue cards adapted from Grenzenlos Deutsch licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA International License.
- Werner, Dominic, and Magdalena texts adapted from Grenzenlos Deutsch licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA International License.
- “Houssem ist krank” text, dialogue, and activities adapted from Willkommen: Deutsch für alle licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA International License.
- Apothekesymbol photo collage: Logo Pharmacy by Ondrej Janovec (Public Domain license), Graz Wienerstraße by TheRunnerUp (CC BY-SA International License), and Alte Apotheke Waltershausen by Metilsteiner (CC BY-SA International License).
Media Attributions
- 2030-2040 ch banner reduced size
- Photo of L’horloge fleurie by Lynn Rainard, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
