Sich krankmelden
Calling in sick to work (sich krankmelden) has a specific German process and etiquette - reusing anrufen (Lesson 15/23) and symptom vocabulary (Lesson 14), applied to a workplace context rather than a doctor's visit.
| sich krankmelden | to call in sick | die Krankschreibung | doctor's sick note |
| krank | sick | der Arbeitgeber | employer |
Ich fühle mich nicht gut. (I don't feel well. - reflexive, Lesson 28)
Ich bin krank und kann heute nicht arbeiten. (I'm sick and can't work today - können, Lesson 11)
Ich melde mich für heute krank. (I'm calling in sick for today.)
In Germany, being sick for more than three calendar days (in most workplaces) requires a doctor's note (Krankschreibung / Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung) submitted to your employer - a genuinely important process to know early:
Ich brauche eine Krankschreibung. (I need a doctor's note.)
Ab wann darf ich wieder arbeiten? (From when am I allowed to work again? - dürfen, Lesson 49)
1. "I don't feel well." - Ich ______ mich nicht gut.
2. What's the German word for "doctor's sick note"?
3. After how many sick days does a doctor's note typically become required?
4. What's the German word for "employer"?
5. "I'm calling in sick for today." - Ich ______ mich für heute krank.
Vocabulary cross-checked against the "Arbeit" and "Gesundheit" topics in the official Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Wortliste; exact sick-leave rules can vary by employer contract, worth confirming with your specific workplace.
Need to draft a real message to your employer about being sick? Ask your teaching agent to help phrase it.