Short answer
“I'm cold” in German is Mir ist kalt.
How to say I'm cold in German?
How to say I'm cold in German? The natural expression is Mir ist kalt. It uses the dative pronoun mir plus the adjective kalt, and it is understood everywhere German is spoken. If you are really freezing, you can also say Ich friere. You should not say Ich bin kalt for the feeling of being cold: that phrase means cold-hearted or cold to the touch.
Common pairings
Mir ist kalt an den HändenWenn dir kalt istMir wird kaltIm Büro ist mir kalt
How to use it
- Use Mir ist kalt when you are talking about your body feeling cold because of the air or water temperature. It works at every politeness level and for all genders.
- Use Ich friere when you want to emphasize freezing or shivering; it is more active than the stative Mir ist kalt.
- Do not use Ich bin kalt for the feeling of cold. It means you are cold-hearted, or that your skin feels cold when someone touches you.
Examples
Mir ist kalt.
I'm cold.
The standard expression. mir is the dative of ich, and kalt stays the same for all genders.
Ich friere.
I'm freezing.
A stronger alternative to Mir ist kalt; use it when you are really cold or shivering.
Wenn du frierst, trink einen Tee.
If you're cold, drink a tea.
frierst is the du-form of frieren, so the verb changes while the feeling stays the same.
Mir wird kalt.
I'm getting cold.
Mir wird kalt shows the process of becoming cold, while Mir ist kalt describes the state.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mir ist kalt. | Ich bin kalt shifts the meaning to personality: it means “I am cold-hearted” or “my skin feels cold to the touch.” | |
| Ich friere. | frieren is a normal intransitive verb that takes ich as its subject, while kalt sein needs the dative pronoun mir. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mir ist kalt. | “Have cold” is a literal translation from English. German uses the dative construction with sein, so Ich habe kalt sounds unidiomatic. |
FAQ
- How to say I'm cold in German?The standard way is Mir ist kalt. If you are really freezing, say Ich friere instead.
- What is the difference between Mir ist kalt and Ich bin kalt?Mir ist kalt means “I feel cold.” Ich bin kalt means “I am cold-hearted” or “my body is cold to the touch,” not that you feel cold.
- Can I say Ich habe kalt?No. German does not use haben to express feeling cold. Use the dative construction Mir ist kalt. Ich habe kalt sounds unidiomatic and marks you as a learner.