Halsschmerzen

sore throat

noun HALS-shmert-sen Rare

Also means

throat pain

Usage Note

Halsschmerzen is almost always used in the plural in everyday speech. It can signal a simple cold, strep throat (Streptokokkeninfektion), or tonsillitis (Mandelentzündung). Singular der Halsschmerz is rare and more clinical.

Examples

"Sie konnte kaum schlucken, weil sie starke Halsschmerzen hatte."

Natural Translation

She could barely swallow because she had a severe sore throat.

Literal Translation

She could barely swallow, because she strong throat-pains had.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

How Long Does It Take to Learn German? Real Timeline

How long to learn German? Conversational B1 takes ~6–12 months, fluent B2 about 1.5–2.5 years part-time. Here's an honest, hours-based timeline by CEFR level.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Adjective Endings Made Simple

German adjective endings come down to one question, not three tables: does the article already show gender and case? If yes, the adjective stays lazy.

June 5, 2026 6 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

Tipping in Germany: A Visitor's Etiquette Guide

Tipping in Germany means saying your total out loud, not leaving coins. Learn the exact phrases, how much to tip, and the Sie-vs-du etiquette travelers need.

June 5, 2026 6 min read