Krabbe vs. Krebs
The German words Krabbe and Krebs both refer to crustaceans, but they have distinct meanings and uses in everyday language.
Krabbe
A2Krabbe specifically refers to a crab, typically the smaller marine or shore crabs.
Am Strand fanden die Kinder eine kleine Krabbe.
(The children found a small crab on the beach.)
In der Fischtheke gibt es heute frische Krabben.
(There are fresh crabs at the fish counter today.)
Krebs
B1Krebs has a broader meaning, encompassing various crustaceans including crayfish, lobsters, and some larger crab species. It's also the word for the zodiac sign Cancer and the disease cancer.
Beim Angeln fing er einen großen Flusskrebs.
(While fishing, he caught a large crayfish.)
Hummer ist eine teure Art von Krebs.
(Lobster is an expensive type of crustacean.)
Mein Sternzeichen ist Krebs.
(My zodiac sign is Cancer.)
Summary
While Krabbe specifically means crab, Krebs is a more general term for crustaceans and has additional meanings in astronomy and medicine. Use Krabbe when referring to typical small crabs and Krebs for larger crustaceans or in broader contexts.