German Pain & Injury Vocabulary
This set covers everyday pain and hospital-visit German, from die Prellung (a minor bruise) up to die Gehirnerschütterung (concussion) and die Verrenkung (dislocation). The tricky one is der Bluterguss: it looks like it should mean something dramatic involving blood loss, but it just means a bad bruise, blood pooled under the skin rather than lost from the body."/> <parameter name="tips">Notice how many of these nouns are compounds built from body-pain roots you already know once you learn Schmerz: Magenschmerzen is just Magen (stomach) plus Schmerzen, so once that pattern clicks you can guess Kopfschmerzen or Rückenschmerzen even though they're not on this list. Also drill weh tun as a phrase, not a vocabulary item: German doesn't say "my leg hurts" the way English does, it says Mein Bein tut weh, so practice it in full sentences with different body parts. For the verbs, pin down the reflexive pattern early: sich verletzen (to injure oneself) needs the reflexive pronoun, while bluten and stürzen don't, so mixing those up is the most common beginner mistake in this group.
Learn these 31 words
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All 31 words
- weh tunA1
hurt, ache
Ich muss zum Arzt. Mein Bein tut weh. — I need to go to the doctor. My leg hurts.
pain, ache
Haben Sie Schmerzen? — Do you have pain?
injure oneself
Sind Sie verletzt? – Ja, am Bein. — Are you injured? – Yes, in the leg.
- wehtunA2
hurt, ache
Wo tut es weh? — Where does it hurt?
- blutenB1
bleed
Ich habe mich verletzt. Meine Hand blutet. — I got injured. My hand is bleeding.
plural: die Pflaster
bandage, plaster
Hast du ein Pflaster? Ich habe mich geschnitten. — Do you have a bandage? I cut myself.
- stürzenB1
to fall, tumble
Ich bin auf der Straße gestürzt und habe mir den Fuß gebrochen. — I fell on the street and broke my foot.
plural: die Verletzungen
injury, wound
Keine Angst. Die Verletzung ist nicht so schlimm. — Don't worry. The injury is not so serious.
plural: die Wunden
wound
Die Wunde müssen wir sofort verbinden. — We need to bandage the wound immediately.
- erfrorenB2
frostbitten / frozen to death
Seine Finger waren erfroren nach der Kälte. — His fingers were frostbitten after the cold.
plural: die Gehirnerschütterungen
concussion
Eine Gehirnerschütterung ist eine ernsthafte Kopfverletzung. — A concussion is a serious head injury.
- lähmenB2
to paralyze / cripple / hamstring
Der Schlag könnte den Arm lähmen. — The blow could paralyze the arm.
long-term damage
Die Langzeitschäden des Unfalls waren erheblich. — The long-term damage from the accident was significant.
plural: die Magenschmerzen
stomach pain
Die Magenschmerzen traten nach dem Essen auf. — The stomach pain appeared after eating.
plural: die Migränen
migraine
Sie litt unter starken Migränen. — She suffered from severe migraines.
plural: die Platzwunden
a laceration
Die Platzwunde blutete stark. — The laceration bled heavily.
plural: die Prellungen
a bruise (not too bad)
Die Prellung an meinem Arm schmerzte. — The bruise on my arm hurt.
plural: die Schörfe
scab / crust / scaly skin
Der Schorf auf der Wunde fiel ab. — The scab on the wound fell off.
a beating / spanking / thrashing
Der Junge bekam eine Tracht Prügel. — The boy received a beating.
plural: die Verrenkungen
contortion / dislocation
Die Verrenkung der Schulter tat sehr weh. — The shoulder dislocation hurt a lot.
to tense up / brace
Seine Muskeln verspannen sich bei Stress. — His muscles tense up under stress.
to strangulate
Ein zu enger Gurt kann die Durchblutung abschnüren. — A too-tight belt can restrict blood circulation.
plural: die Blutergüsse
a really bad bruise (wenig benutzt)
Ein großer Bluterguss verfärbte die Haut blau. — A large bruise discolored the skin blue.
plural: die Einstiche
a puncture / insertion
Der Einstich der Spritze war schmerzlos. — The puncture from the injection was painless.
plural: die Furunkel
a boil (skin condition)
Das Furunkel war schmerzhaft und entzündet. — The boil was painful and inflamed.
plural: die Geschwülste
a tumor / lump / growth
Die Geschwulst muss vom Arzt untersucht werden. — The tumor must be examined by the doctor.
plural: die Läsionen
lesion/injury
Die Läsion des Gewebes erfordert ärztliche Behandlung. — The tissue lesion requires medical treatment.
plural: die Qualen
torment / agony / torture
Der Zahnschmerz war eine wahre Qual für ihn. — The toothache was true torment for him.
- qualvollC1
excruciating
Der qualvolle Schmerz ließ ihn die ganze Nacht wach. — The excruciating pain kept him awake all night.
plural: die Quetschungen
a bruise / contusion
Die Quetschung am Arm schmerzt noch immer. — The bruise on the arm still hurts.
to bleed to death / spend
Der verletzte Soldat verblutete im Feld. — The wounded soldier bled to death on the field.
How to learn this set
Learn the nouns together with their article — pain & injury words are far easier to recall as "der Schmerz" than as a bare noun. Work through the set in short daily rounds rather than one long session: the flashcards below space each word out over days, which is what moves it into long-term memory.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between eine Prellung and ein Bluterguss?
Both mean bruise, but eine Prellung is the everyday word for a normal bump or bruise, like knocking your shin on a table. Ein Bluterguss is a more clinical term for serious internal bleeding under the skin, so it shows up more in medical contexts than daily speech.
Is it weh tun or wehtun?
You'll see both. Current spelling rules favor the separated weh tun (Das tut weh = That hurts), but wehtun as one word is still common and accepted, especially in older texts. Either way, the tun conjugates: tut weh, tat weh, hat weh getan.
What's the difference between die Wunde and die Verletzung?
Die Verletzung is the general word for injury and covers everything from a sprained ankle to a broken arm. Die Wunde specifically means an open wound where skin is broken, like a cut. A Verletzung doesn't always involve a Wunde, but a Wunde is always a type of Verletzung.
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