Translation of German word "pflegen" to English

pflegen

Meaning

Verb

To nourish or nurse.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)Last updated: June 16, 2026

How to use

pflegen ('to care for / nurse / maintain / tend to / be accustomed to') is a weak verb: pflegt, pflegte, hat gepflegt. Einen Garten pflegen — To tend a garden. Freundschaft pflegen — To maintain friendship. Er pflegt zu sagen... — He is accustomed to saying / usually says...

🇬🇧 English

nurture

Example

Sie pflegt ihre kranke Mutter.

She cares for her sick mother.

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All words in category: Extended Verbs

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Synonyms

to look after / superviseto maintain / service

Common phrases

Freundschaften pflegen— to maintain / nurture friendships

More Extended Verbs words

heilen retten streiten versöhnen beruhigen entspannen engagieren verhandeln abschließen verlängern buchen reservieren

📖 Related grammar

The Perfekt Tense in German The Präteritum Tense in German Modal Verbs in German The Konjunktiv II in German Separable Verbs in German Full glossary →

🦊 Conjugation of the verb "pflegen"Full conjugation →

Present Tense (Präsens)

ich (I)pflege

du (you)pflegst

er/sie/es (he/she/it)pflegt

wir (we)pflegen

ihr (you pl.)pflegt

sie/Sie (they/you formal)pflegen

Simple Past (Präteritum)

ich (I)pflegte

er/sie/es (he/she/it)pflegte

Perfect (Perfekt)

ich bin/habe gepflegt

Imperative (Imperativ)

dupflege

ihrpflegt

Siepflegen

Frequency rank: #974 in German

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of the German word "pflegen"?▼

The German word "pflegen" is defined as: "To nourish or nurse."

What does the German word "pflegen" mean?▼

The German word "pflegen" means "nurture" in English.

How do you pronounce the German word "pflegen"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "pflegen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "pflegen"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "Sie pflegt ihre kranke Mutter." (which translates as "She cares for her sick mother.").