Breakdown of Du bist krank. Gute Besserung!
sein
to be
du
you (informal singular)
krank
sick
Gute Besserung
get well soon
Questions & Answers about Du bist krank. Gute Besserung!
This lesson is about the command form (imperative). Where is the imperative verb in Gute Besserung!?
There actually isn't one! In English, we use a command like "Get well soon", but in German, this is just a set noun phrase. It literally translates to "Good recovery" or "Good improvement." You don't need an imperative verb to wish someone well in German.
What exactly is the word Besserung?
Besserung is a noun that means "improvement" or "recovery." You might recognize that it comes from the word besser, which means "better."
Why is it Gute instead of just gut?
Because Besserung is a feminine noun (die Besserung). When an adjective comes directly before a noun, it needs a special ending. The -e on Gute is there because it is describing a feminine noun.
The first sentence uses du (informal). Does Gute Besserung change if I am speaking to someone formally?
No, it stays exactly the same! Because Gute Besserung does not contain a verb or a pronoun like du or Sie, it works for anyone. You can say it to a close friend, a boss, or a group of people.
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