English–German
“catch a cold” in German
German
Pronunciation
IPA/ɛɐ̯ˈkɛltn̩/
Example
Er erkältet sich oft im Winter.
He often catches a cold in winter.
How to say “catch a cold” in German
“Catch a cold” in German is erkälten.
Cold air or an infection leaves someone in the familiar state of a cold, rather than merely making the person feel chilly.
Example sentences with erkälten
Die Kinder haben sich erkältet, weil sie ohne Jacke draußen gespielt haben.
The children caught a cold because they played outside without a jacket.
Tips for using erkälten
- The perfect tense uses haben with the reflexive pronoun: 'Sie hat sich erkältet', while 'Sie ist erkältet' describes the resulting condition, not the event of becoming ill.