💯🤩

How to Say ‘To be seriously amazing’ in German

Echt der Hammer sein

ekht dair HAM-er zyne

[ekht dair HAM-er zyne]

💬 Usage Tip: der Hammer literally means "the hammer", but in casual speech it means something is amazing. You'd say Deine Jacke ist echt der Hammer!

🇩🇪 In Germany: Very casual and enthusiastic. It suits a bar among people your age, but it would sound odd in a formal setting.

Phrase Breakdown

Echt der

ekht dair

really the

'echt' is colloquial for 'really'. It leads into the idiom 'der Hammer sein'. Say both words smoothly together.

Example

Das ist echt der Wahnsinn.

That's really crazy.

Words in this phrase

Echt

[ekht]

really; truly

Colloquial intensifier meaning 'really'.

Example

Das ist echt gut.

That's really good.

der

[dair]

the

Feminine article in the dative case, used after 'in' for location.

Example

Das steht in der Zeitung.

That's in the newspaper.

Hammer sein

HAM-er zyne

be awesome (literally: be the hammer)

Together with 'der', this is the slang idiom 'der Hammer sein', meaning to be amazing or incredible. Stress 'HAM-mer'.

Example

Das Konzert war der Hammer!

The concert was awesome!

Words in this phrase

Hammer

[HAM-er]

hammer; (slang) awesome

Literally a tool; 'der Hammer sein' is slang for amazing.

Example

Das Konzert war der Hammer.

The concert was awesome.

sein

[zyne]

Exist; occur; take place.

Example

Es ist schön, hier zu sein.

It's nice to be here.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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