Gürtelrose

shingles

noun GUER-tel-roh-ze Rare

Also means

herpes zoster

Usage Note

Gürtelrose is caused by reactivation of the dormant varicella-zoster virus in adults, producing a painful, blistering rash in a band along a nerve. The name literally means 'belt rash'. A vaccine is available and recommended for older adults.

Examples

"Nach dem Stress erkrankte sie an Gürtelrose auf der rechten Körperseite."

Natural Translation

After the stress she came down with shingles on the right side of her body.

Literal Translation

After the stress she fell ill with shingles on the right body side.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

Weil vs Denn vs Da: "Because" in German

Weil and da send the verb to the end; denn keeps it in second position. Here's how to pick the right German "because" and place the verb correctly.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Days, Months & Seasons (am, im & -tag)

Days of the week in German use am, months and seasons use im — plus the -tag pattern, capitalized nouns, and how to build a real sentence with a day.

June 5, 2026 4 min read

GermanNow

German Two-Way Prepositions: Accusative or Dative?

Use accusative for movement into a place (wohin?) and dative for a fixed location (wo?). Master all nine German two-way prepositions with one simple test.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Separable Verbs: When the Prefix Splits

German separable verbs split in two: the verb stays near the front and the prefix flies to the end. Learn the stress test and where every piece goes.

June 5, 2026 5 min read