German · A1 · Family moment
Sleepy Little Cuddles in German
Gentle German phrases for a calm nap routine. Use a warm voice to invite your child to cuddle, rest and settle down.
What you'll learn
- Use simple German phrases during a nap routine.
- Make shared suggestions with lass uns and wir.
- Use gentle commands when speaking to one child.
German phrases for sleepy little cuddles
Lass uns kuscheln.
Let's have a cuddle.
Kuscheln means to cuddle. Lass uns makes this a shared invitation.
Ruhen wir uns jetzt aus.
Let's rest now.
The verb before wir makes a suggestion that includes both of you.
Lass uns leise singen.
Let's sing softly.
Leise means quietly or softly.
Lass uns „Gute Nacht“ sagen.
Let's say goodnight.
Gute Nacht is the usual German expression for goodnight.
Mach die Augen zu, mein Kleines.
Close your eyes, little one.
Mein Kleines is an affectionate way to address a young child of any gender.
Leg deinen Kopf ab, mein Schatz.
Rest your head, darling.
This gently asks your child to put their head down. Mein Schatz means darling.
Leg dich auf den Rücken, mein Schatz.
Lie on your back, sweetheart.
Leg dich asks your child to move into a lying position.
Schlaf gut, mein Liebling.
Sleep well, my love.
Mein Liebling is an affectionate term you can use for any child.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
kuscheln
to cuddle
A warm, everyday word for cuddling together.
sich ausruhen
to rest
With wir, use uns: Wir ruhen uns aus means we are resting.
leise
quiet; quietly; softly
Useful for singing or speaking in a gentle, quiet voice.
die Augen
the eyes
The singular is das Auge. German often uses the rather than your with body parts.
der Kopf
the head
Deinen Kopf means your head in the phrase Leg deinen Kopf ab.
der Rücken
the back
Auf den Rücken describes moving onto your back.
mein Schatz
darling; sweetheart
Literally my treasure. It can refer to a child of any gender.
Making suggestions with “let's”
Use lass uns followed by the basic verb form to suggest doing something together. Another pattern puts the verb before wir.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lass uns + verb | Lass uns + infinitive. | Lass uns kuscheln. |
| Add a quiet manner | Lass uns + leise + infinitive. | Lass uns leise singen. |
| Verb + wir | Ruhen wir uns … aus. | Ruhen wir uns jetzt aus. |
Gentle commands for one child
When speaking directly to one child, use the informal singular command without du. A warm tone and an affectionate name make it sound gentle.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Close | zumachen → Mach … zu. | Mach die Augen zu, mein Kleines. |
| Put down | ablegen → Leg … ab. | Leg deinen Kopf ab, mein Schatz. |
| Lie down | sich legen → Leg dich … | Leg dich auf den Rücken, mein Schatz. |
| Sleep | schlafen → Schlaf … | Schlaf gut, mein Liebling. |
Verbs with a separate ending
Some German verbs have a part that moves to the end of a simple sentence or command. Learn these phrases as short chunks.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| zumachen — to close | Mach … zu. | Mach die Augen zu. |
| ablegen — to put down | Leg … ab. | Leg deinen Kopf ab. |
| sich ausruhen — to rest | Ruhen wir uns … aus. | Ruhen wir uns jetzt aus. |
More examples
Lass uns kuscheln. Lass uns leise singen.
Let's have a cuddle. Let's sing softly.
Two shared invitations for a calm start to rest time.
Mach die Augen zu, mein Kleines. Schlaf gut, mein Liebling.
Close your eyes, little one. Sleep well, my love.
Say these slowly and warmly as your child settles.