Kribieren

Kribieren is a German verb describing the sensation of tingling or prickling on the skin, a meaning closely related to the more common verb kribbeln. It is chiefly found in colloquial speech or regional usage and is considered a rarer or dialectal variant of the standard term for such sensations. The word is derived from the same root as kribbeln, an onomatopoeic form that evokes the prickling feeling.

Usage and nuance: Kribieren can refer to physical paresthesias (as in tingling in a limb) as well as to figurative or emotional states that evoke a similar sensation, such as anticipation or excitement. In everyday language, kribbeln is far more common for both bodily sensations and metaphorical uses, while kribieren is encountered mainly in informal or local contexts.

Grammar and conjugation: As a regular -ieren verb, kribieren follows the standard conjugation pattern. Examples: ich kribiere, du kribierst, er kribiert; wir kribieren, ihr kribiert, sie kribieren. Präteritum: ich kribierte; Perfekt: gekribiert. Because of its limited usage, some speakers prefer kribbeln in most contexts, especially in formal writing or careful speech.

Related terms: Kribbeln (the standard noun for the tingling sensation), kribbeln (the verb most commonly used for this sense), and synoymous expressions such as kitzeln for a lighter, tickling feel. In medical contexts, terms like Parästhesie describe persistent tingling caused by nerve irritation rather than brief sensory moments.

See also: kribbeln, parästhesie, kitzeln.