Signification
To pretend to be sick to avoid going to work or school.
Contexte culturel
The 'Gelber Schein' (yellow slip) is the traditional medical certificate. Even if you 'krankfeierst' for just one day, some employers require it immediately, making faking it a bit of a logistical challenge. In Austria, the term is also well-understood, but 'blaumachen' is perhaps even more frequent in casual conversation. Swiss work culture is often seen as more rigid, so 'krankfeiern' might be viewed more critically than in some parts of Germany. Many modern startups have 'Trust-based working time' (Vertrauensarbeitszeit), which ironically makes 'krankfeiern' less necessary because you can just take time off.
Context is Key
Never use this word with your boss. It's an admission of lying.
Separable Verb Rule
Remember: 'Ich feiere krank', but 'Ich habe krankgefeiert'.
Signification
To pretend to be sick to avoid going to work or school.
Context is Key
Never use this word with your boss. It's an admission of lying.
Separable Verb Rule
Remember: 'Ich feiere krank', but 'Ich habe krankgefeiert'.
The 'Monday' Rule
Germans often joke about 'Montagskrankheit' (Monday sickness) when someone 'krankfeiert'.
Use 'Blaumachen' for variety
If you want to sound more native, alternate between 'krankfeiern' and 'blaumachen'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'krankfeiern'.
Gestern war so schönes Wetter, da habe ich einfach ______.
In the perfect tense, the 'ge' goes between the prefix and the verb: krank-ge-feiert.
Which sentence is appropriate to say to your boss?
You are actually sick and calling your boss.
'Sich krankmelden' is the professional and neutral term. The others imply you are faking.
Match the phrase to the situation.
A student skips a math test by staying in bed.
Krankfeiern is the perfect fit for faking an illness to avoid a test.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Wo ist Thomas?' B: 'Er ______ heute ______, weil er keine Lust auf das Meeting hat.'
In a main clause, the separable verb splits: 'feiert' in second position, 'krank' at the end.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Formal vs. Informal Sick Leave
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesGestern war so schönes Wetter, da habe ich einfach ______.
In the perfect tense, the 'ge' goes between the prefix and the verb: krank-ge-feiert.
You are actually sick and calling your boss.
'Sich krankmelden' is the professional and neutral term. The others imply you are faking.
A student skips a math test by staying in bed.
Krankfeiern is the perfect fit for faking an illness to avoid a test.
A: 'Wo ist Thomas?' B: 'Er ______ heute ______, weil er keine Lust auf das Meeting hat.'
In a main clause, the separable verb splits: 'feiert' in second position, 'krank' at the end.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsTechnically, yes. Faking an illness to avoid work is a breach of contract and can lead to being fired.
'Krankfeiern' specifically implies using illness as an excuse. 'Blaumachen' is more general skipping.
Yes, it's very common among students to 'krankfeiern' for a lecture or seminar.
Use 'Ich melde mich krank.'
No, it's not a swear word, but it describes a dishonest action, so use it carefully.
Literally yes, but figuratively it just means taking the day off using sickness as an excuse.
The perfect tense is 'hat krankgefeiert'.
Usually, it's used for 1-3 days. For longer, people usually say 'krankgeschrieben sein'.
Yes, '{das|n} Krankfeiern', but the verb is much more common.
No, 'feiern' here refers to the old meaning of 'resting'.
Expressions liées
blaumachen
synonymTo skip work/school for any reason.
schwänzen
specialized formTo skip school or a specific class.
sich krankmelden
contrastTo officially report as sick.
faulenzen
similarTo be lazy / to idle.
einen Lenz machen
similarTo have a lazy, good time.
