German · A2 · Everyday language
Why We Cuddle in German
Explain everyday baby care in gentle, simple German. Use weil ('because') to give a reason, and put the conjugated verb at the end of the weil clause.
What you'll learn
- Give simple reasons for everyday care.
- Use weil clauses with the conjugated verb at the end.
- Talk about hunger, comfort, tiredness and illness.
German phrases for why we cuddle
Ich mache dir ein Fläschchen, weil du Hunger hast.
I am making a bottle because you are hungry.
Hunger haben literally means 'to have hunger'. After weil, hast comes last.
Wir wechseln deine Windel, weil sie nass ist.
We are changing your nappy because it is wet.
Die Windel is feminine, so use sie for 'it'.
Ich halte dich im Arm, weil du eine Umarmung brauchst.
I am holding you because you need a cuddle.
Jemanden im Arm halten means 'to hold someone in your arms'. Eine Umarmung is a hug or cuddle.
Du kaust auf deinem Beißring, weil dir das Zahnfleisch wehtut.
You are chewing your teething ring because your gums hurt.
Das Zahnfleisch is singular in German. Dir shows whose gums hurt; wehtut comes last.
Wir bleiben drinnen, weil es kalt ist.
We are staying inside because it is cold.
Use es for weather expressions: Es ist kalt means 'It is cold'.
Ich ziehe die Vorhänge zu, weil du müde bist.
I am closing the curtains because you are tired.
Zuziehen means 'to close' by drawing something shut. In the main clause, it splits into ziehe ... zu.
Wir gehen zum Arzt, weil du Fieber hast.
We are seeing the doctor because you have a fever.
Zum Arzt gehen means 'to go to see the doctor'. German uses Fieber haben without an article.
Ich singe leise, weil du schon fast schläfst.
I am singing quietly because you are almost asleep.
Schon fast schläfst means 'are already almost asleep'. Schläfst is the du form of schlafen.
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
das Fläschchen
baby bottle; little bottle
The ending -chen makes a word smaller or more affectionate. Nouns ending in -chen use das.
die Windel
nappy; diaper
Eine Windel wechseln means 'to change a nappy'.
die Umarmung
hug; cuddle
Kuscheln is the verb 'to cuddle' or 'to snuggle'.
der Beißring
teething ring
Auf einem Beißring kauen means 'to chew on a teething ring'.
das Zahnfleisch
gums
German treats this as singular: Das Zahnfleisch tut weh.
drinnen
inside; indoors
Use bleiben + drinnen to say 'stay inside'.
der Vorhang
curtain
The plural is die Vorhänge.
leise
quiet; quietly
Singen + leise means 'sing quietly'.
Giving a reason with weil
Weil means 'because'. Put a comma before weil. In the reason clause, the conjugated verb goes at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple statement | subject + conjugated verb + other words | Du bist müde. — You are tired. |
| Reason clause | weil + subject + other words + conjugated verb | weil du müde bist — because you are tired |
| Complete sentence | main clause + comma + weil clause | Wir bleiben drinnen, weil es kalt ist. — We are staying inside because it is cold. |
Useful reason patterns
The conjugated verb changes to match the subject, but it still comes last after weil.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hunger | weil du ... hast | weil du Hunger hast — because you are hungry |
| Need | weil du ... brauchst | weil du eine Umarmung brauchst — because you need a cuddle |
| Condition | weil sie ... ist | weil sie nass ist — because it is wet |
Separable verbs and actions happening now
German uses the present tense for both 'I sing' and 'I am singing'. Some verbs split in a main clause, but their parts join together at the end of a simple weil clause.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present tense | ich + present-tense verb | Ich singe leise. — I am singing quietly. |
| Separable verb in a main clause | wehtun → tut ... weh | Das Zahnfleisch tut weh. — The gums hurt. |
| Separable verb after weil | weil ... wehtut | weil dir das Zahnfleisch wehtut — because your gums hurt |
More examples
Ich halte dich im Arm, weil du müde bist.
I am holding you because you are tired.
Reuse a familiar reason with a different care action.
Wir bleiben drinnen, weil du Fieber hast.
We are staying inside because you have a fever.
Hast stays at the end of the reason clause.
Ich singe leise, weil du eine Umarmung brauchst.
I am singing quietly because you need a cuddle.
Brauchen is useful for explaining a baby's needs.