German Conversation · Level 80
60 words
German word
impfen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈɪmp͡fən/
Meaning
- verbvaccinate
Example
Die Ärztin impft das Kind gegen die Grippe.
The doctor is vaccinating the child against influenza.
More examples
Eltern fragen oft, wann sie ihr Kind impfen lassen sollen.
Parents often ask when they should have their child vaccinated.
Core concept
A small dose enters the body and trains its defenses to recognize a disease before the real infection arrives.
Common phrases
sich impfen lassen
get vaccinated
jemanden gegen Masern impfen
vaccinate someone against measles
gegen Masern impfen
vaccinate against measles
Similar words
sich impfen lassen: Receive a vaccine from a medical professional.
bekommen: Receive a vaccine or injection that enters the body.
spritzen: Inject a liquid into the body with a syringe.
Definition in German
Einer Person einen Impfstoff verabreichen, damit ihr Körper Schutz gegen eine Krankheit aufbaut.
Word origin
German impfen comes through Middle High German from Latin imputare, meaning to graft or implant, and later acquired the medical sense of introducing a vaccine.
Usage tips
- The person vaccinated is usually the accusative object, while the disease follows gegen with the accusative, as in ein Kind gegen die Grippe impfen.
Related words
- Impfungvaccinationnoun
- Impfpassvaccination recordnoun
- Impfreaktionvaccination reactionnoun