German Phrase
Die Krankenschwester hilft kranken Schülern.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘The nurse helps sick students.’ It uses the verb ‘helfen’, which always governs the dative case, so the students are expressed as ‘kranken Schülern’. The adjective ‘kranken’ describes the students and follows the weak declension pattern because it follows a definite article in the dative plural.
When to use
Use this phrase when talking about a school nurse assisting pupils who are ill, for example during a school health check, after a flu outbreak, or when a student needs first‑aid assistance.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DieKrankenschwesterhilftkrankenSchülern
Definite article (Nominativ, Fem.)
‘Die’ is the feminine nominative singular article, matching ‘Krankenschwester’.
Noun gender
‘Krankenschwester’ is a feminine noun; its plural would be ‘Krankenschwestern’.
Verb ‘helfen’ + Dativ
‘helfen’ always takes a dative object, so the person being helped must be in the dative case.
Adjective declension (Dativ Plural, weak)
After a definite article in the dative plural, adjectives receive the ending ‘-en’: ‘kranken’.
Plural noun in Dativ
‘Schülern’ is the dative plural of ‘Schüler’ (students).
🗨In Conversation
Entschuldigung, ich fühle mich nicht gut.
Excuse me, I don’t feel well.
Die Krankenschwester hilft kranken Schülern sofort.
The nurse helps sick students right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Die Krankenschwester hilft kranken Schüler.
Missing the dative ending ‘-n’ on the adjective; after a definite article in dative plural the adjective must be ‘kranken’.
Die Krankenschwester hilft kranke Schülern.
The adjective must agree with the dative case, so it should be ‘kranken’, not ‘kranke’.
Die Krankenschwester hilft den kranken Schüler.
‘Schüler’ is plural here, so the dative plural form ‘Schülern’ is required, not singular ‘Schüler’.
↔Alternatives
Die Krankenschwester unterstützt kranke Schüler.
The nurse supports sick students.
Die Schulkrankenschwester kümmert sich um kranke Schüler.
The school nurse takes care of sick students.
Die Krankenschwester versorgt kranke Schüler.
The nurse treats sick students.
Cultural Tip
In German schools, a ‘Krankenschwester’ (often called ‘Schulkrankenschwester’) is a qualified health professional who can give first aid, administer medication, and decide whether a student should go home. The role is taken seriously, and students are encouraged to report any illness promptly. Note that in Austria the term ‘Schulkrankenschwester’ is more common, while in Switzerland you might hear ‘Schulgesundheitsfachfrau’. Formal language is preferred when speaking to school staff.