ins Bett gehen

German

Etymology

Literally, to go into the bed.

Verb

ins Bett gehen (class 7 strong, third-person singular present geht ins Bett, past tense ging ins Bett, past participle ins Bett gegangen, auxiliary sein)

  1. to go to bed (lie down to sleep)
    Synonyms: zu Bett gehen, schlafen gehen
  2. (with mit) to sleep with, have sex

Usage notes

  • The form zu Bett gehen was originally preferred but is now significantly rarer and, at least in northwestern Germany, sounds markedly formal. In the sexual sense it is not usual at all. In many parts of northern Germany there is also nach Bett gehen (cf. Dutch naar bed gaan), but this is exclusively colloquial and now becoming rare.

Conjugation