
Foul language: Common swear words and phrases
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Key Phrases
Halt die Klappe!
Shut up!
Was zur Hölle?
What the hell?
Scheiß drauf!
Screw it!
Skills You'll Learn
Expressing frustration
Frustration ausdrücken
Reacting to situations
Auf Situationen reagieren
Giving dismissive responses
Abfällige Antworten geben
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
Scheiße!
shy-suh
Shit!
💬 This is one of the most versatile German swear words, often used for expressing frustration.
🇩🇪 While very common, use with caution as it can be quite strong depending on the context.
See breakdown →Verdammt!
fair-dammt
Damn it!
💬 This can express frustration or annoyance similarly to 'damn' in English.
🇩🇪 It is generally considered less offensive than some other curses.
See breakdown →Mist!
Mist
Damn! / Crap!
💬 Literally translates to 'manure' and is a lighter swear word.
🇩🇪 Often used as a softer alternative to stronger swears, similar to 'shoot' or 'darn'.
See breakdown →Arschloch!
arsh-loch
Asshole!
💬 A direct and strong insult.
🇩🇪 Avoid using unless very familiar with the cultural context and company.
See breakdown →Verpiss dich!
fehr-PISS dikh
Fuck off!
💬 Very rude and aggressive, akin to its English equivalent.
🇩🇪 Use with extreme caution; it's offensive and confrontational.
See breakdown →Halt die Klappe!
halt dee KLA-pa
Shut up!
💬 Literally means 'hold the flap', used to tell someone to be quiet.
🇩🇪 Rude, but not vulgar; similar to 'shut your mouth'.
See breakdown →Du Idiot!
doo ee-DEE-ot
You idiot!
💬 Common insult for calling someone foolish.
🇩🇪 Similar to English, it's offensive but less severe than stronger words.
See breakdown →Blöde Kuh!
BLEU-de koo
Stupid cow!
💬 Used mostly towards women, akin to calling someone a 'silly cow'.
🇩🇪 Considered disrespectful and sexist, reflecting cultural stereotypes.
See breakdown →Dumme Sau!
DOO-ma sow
Dumb pig!
💬 Used to call someone stupid, with 'Sau' referring to a sow (female pig).
🇩🇪 Quite rude, often used in anger but less common in formal settings.
See breakdown →Learn this vocabulary list the easy way
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