German Slang and Expressions: A Comprehensive Guide

German slang is shaped by local dialects, younger people, and influences worldwide. It makes everyday talk more colorful and gives us a peek into modern German life. Slang helps people express feelings and subtle ideas that regular language might miss. For those learning German, knowing slang can improve your conversations and help you get the culture. Plus, slang shows how the German language keeps changing, often through the playful ways young people use it. This keeps learning fresh and fun.

Everyday Greetings and Expressions

How do people say hello in Germany? It depends on where you are and who you’re talking to. “Hallo” works almost everywhere, whether it’s a casual chat or a semi-formal meeting. In the morning, “Guten Morgen” is familiar. Later in the day, you might hear “Guten Tag” or “Guten Abend.”

Young people often just say “Hey” or “Hi.” However, greetings vary in different parts of Germany. For example, in Bavaria, people might say “Servus,” and in places like Hamburg, you’ll hear “Moin.” Each greeting fits the setting and the local way of life.

German Slang Word	German Pronunciation	English Meaning
Quatsch	[kvat͡ʃ]	Nonsense
Papperlapapp	[ˌpapɐlaˈpap]	Nonsense
Paps	[paps]	Dad
Mutti	[ˈmʊti]	Mom
Funzen	[ˈfʊnt͡sn̩]	To function
Abklatsch	[ˈapˌklatʃ]	A cheap copy
Abdrehen	[ˈapˌdʁeːən]	To go wild
Horst	[hɔʁst]	Idiot
Pfosten	[ˈp͡fɔstn̩]	Idiot
Förster	[ˈfœʁstɐ]	Idiot
Hirni	[hɪʁni]	Idiot
Dulli	[ˈdʊli]	Helpless person
Lusche	[ˈlʊʃə]	Loser
Zocken	[ˈt͡sɔkn̩]	To play
Chillig	[ˈt͡ʃɪlɪç]	Relaxed
Büx (Northern)	[bʏks]	Pants
Blechen	[ˈblɛçn̩]	To pay involuntarily
Baggage	[bagaːʒə]	Rabble
Bespaßen	[bəˈʃpaːsn̩]	To make fun
Betüddeln	[bəˈtʏdl̩n]	To look after
Bummeln	[ˈbʊml̩n]	To take one’s time
Fachsimpeln	[ˈfaxˌzɪmpl̩n]	To talk shop
Etepetete	[eːtəpeˈteːtə]	Fussy
Bolzen	[ˈbɔlt͡sn̩]	To play soccer
Balla-balla	[ˈbalɐˈbalɐ]	Coo-coo
Brüller	[ˈbʁʏlɐ]	Very funny joke
Lachflash	[ˈlaxflɛʃ]	Laughing fit
Faxen	[ˈfaksn̩]	Shenanigans
Bonze	[ˈbɔnt͡sə]	Rich person
Kohle	[ˈkoːlə]	Money
Betucht	[bəˈtuːxt]	Very rich
Betuppen	[bəˈtʊpn̩]	To cheat someone
Gewieft	[ɡəˈviːft]	Cunning
Flunsch	[flʊnʃ]	Pout
Schmollen	[ˈʃmɔlən]	To pout
Glotzböbbel	[ɡlɔt͡sˈbøpl̩]	Big eyes
Klackermatsch	[ˈklakɐmat͡ʃ]	Mud to play with
Kladderadatsch	[kladəʁaˈdat͡ʃ]	Mess
Putzig	[ˈpʊt͡sɪk]	Cute
Schnuffig	[ˈʃnufl̩ɪk]	Cuddly
Glipschig	[ˈɡlɪbt͡ʃɪk]	Slimy
Sich kabbeln	[ˈkabl̩n]	To squabble
Hingucker	[ˈhɪnˌɡʊkɐ]	Eye catcher
Saugen	[ˈzaʊ̯ɡn̩]	To download
Snacken	[snækn̩]	To snack
Knuspern	[ˈknʊspɐn]	To crunch
Mampfen	[ˈmamp͡fm̩]	To munch
Kieken	[ˈkiːkŋ̩]	To look
Pusemuckel	[puːɪ̯zəmʊkl̩]	Remote place
Keck	[kɛk]	Cheeky
Kess	[kɛs]	Cheeky
Versifft	[fɛɐ̯ˈzɪft]	Filthy
Räudig	[ˈʁɔɪ̯dɪç]	Disgusting
Kneipe	[ˈknaɪ̯pə]	Bar
Vorglühen	[ˈfoːɐ̯ˌɡlyːən]	To pre-game
Klette	[ˈklɛtə]	Clingy person
Knabbern	[ˈknabɐn]	To munch
Pille-Palle	[ˈpɪləˈpalə]	Easy-peasy
Scheppern	[ˈʃɛpɐn]	To clank
Malochen	[maˈloːxn̩]	To work hard
Ranklotzen	[ˈʁanˌklɔt͡sn̩]	To work hard
Naschis	[ˈnaʃis]	Sweets
Rabauke	[ʁaˈbaʊ̯kə]	Ruffian
Schlingel	[ˈʃlɪŋl̩]	Rascal
Kiddies	[ˈkɪdis]	Children
Nucki	[ˈnʊki]	Pacifier
Ruckzuck	[ˌʁʊkˈt͡sʊk]	Super fast
Etwas peilen	[ˈpaɪ̯lən]	To understand
Perso	[ˈpɛʁzo]	ID
Prio	[pʁio]	Priority
Quali	[ˌkvaliˈ]	Quality
Telen	[telən]	To phone

General German slang phrases

German Slang Phrase	German Pronunciation	English Meaning
Hallöchen	[haˈløːçən]	Hello
Was geht?	[vas ɡeːt]	What’s up?
Na	[naː]	Hey
Jein	[jaɪ̯n]	Yes and no
Nee	[neː]	No
Moin (Northern)	[mɔɪ̯n]	Hello
Moinsen (Northern)	[mɔɪ̯nzn̩]	Hello
Tach (Northern, Northrhein-Westfalian)	[ˈtax]	Hello
Servus (Southern)	[ˈseɐ̯vus]	Hello/Bye
Grüß Gott! (Austrian, Southern)	[ɡʁyːs ɡɔt]	Hello
Ei Gude! (Hessian, Rhineland-Palatinate)	[aɪ̯ ɡuːdə]	Hello/Bye
Grüezi (Eastern and Northern Switzerland)	[ɡʁyːt͡si]	Hello
Grüessech (West Switzerland)	[ɡʁyːˈzɛç]	Hello
Eine Klatsche haben	[ˈklat͡ʃə]	To be wild
Hast du sie nicht mehr alle?	[hast duː ziː nɪçt meːɐ̯ ˈalə]	Have you lost your mind?
Passt schon	[past ʃoːn]	Whatever
Happa-Happa	[ˈhapaˈhapa]	Food
Für Lau	[fyːɐ̯ ˈlaʊ̯]	For free
Babbeln (Hessian)	[ˈbabl̩n]	To talk
Sabbeln (Northern)	[ˈzabl̩n]	To talk
Lällebäbbel (Swabian)	[lɛləbɛbl̩]	Fool
Lällegschwätz (Swabian)	[lɛləɡˈʃvɛt͡s]	Chitchat
Bissel (Bavarian)	[ˈbɪsl̩]	A little
Blagen (Ruhr area)	[ˈblaːɡn̩]	Annoying children
Lütt (Low German)	[lʏt]	Small
Bölken (Ruhr area)	[ˈbœlkn̩]	To yell
Was für ein Prachtexemplar	[ˈvas fyːɐ̯ aɪ̯n ˈpʁaxtʔɛksɛmˌplaːɐ̯]	What a beauty
Boah	[bɔːɐ̯]	Wow
Igitt	[iˈɡɪt]	Urgh
Pfui	[p͡fʊɪ̯]	Urgh
Menno	[ˈmɛnoː]	Man (unsatisfied)

Expressions About Feelings and Actions

German expressions about feelings and actions really show the depth of their language and culture. For example, when Germans are exhausted, they might say, “Ich bin fix und fertig,” meaning “I am done and dusted.” This phrase perfectly captures that feeling of being completely worn out. Another common expression is “Mir fällt ein Stein vom Herzen,” which translates to “A stone falls from my heart,” showing a profound relief.

Regarding actions, Germans have a playful way of saying things too. Take “Daumen drücken,” which means “pressing thumbs.” It’s like when we say “keeping our fingers crossed” to hope for good luck. These phrases are more than words; they give us a peek into how Germans express their emotions and behaviors. It’s pretty cool how language can do that, isn’t it?

Common expressions and their English meaning

Expression	Pronunciation	Literally Translated	English Meaning
Kein Ding	[kaɪ̯n dɪŋ]	No thing	No problem
Kein Plan	[kaɪ̯n plaːn]	No plan	No idea
Keine Ahnung	[ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈaːnʊŋ]	No suspicion	No idea
Auf keinsten	[aʊ̯f ˈkaɪ̯nstən ˈfal]	In the least (of cases)	No way
Abgespaced	[ˈapɡəspeɪst]	Spaced out	Wild
Abgefahren	[ˈapɡəˌfaːʁən]	Driven off	Wicked
Durchkauen	[ˈdʊʁçˌkaʊ̯ən]	To chew through	To talk something through repeatedly
Intelligenzbestie	[ˌɪntɛliˈɡɛnt͡sˌbɛstiə]	Beast of intelligence	Egghead
Labertasche	[ˈlaːbɐˌtaʃə]	Talk bag	Chatterbox
Backpfeife	[ˈbakˌp͡faɪ̯fə]	Cheek pipe	A slap in the face
Fackeln	[ˈfakl̩n]	To flicker	To hesitate
Pumpen	[ˈpʊmpn̩]	To pump	To work out at the gym
Kopfkino	[ˈkɔp͡fˌkiːno]	Mental cinema	Head game
Krawall	[kʁaˈval]	–	Turmoil
Remmidemmi	[ˌʁɛmiˈdɛmi]	–	Turmoil
Kreischi	[kʁaɪ̯ʃi]	Screamy	A screaming fan
Blindfisch	[blɪntfɪʃ]	Blind fish	Someone who doesn’t see well
Ferkeln	[ˈfɛʁkl̩n]	To bear a little pig	To bear a child
Schnattern	[ˈʃnatɐn]	To gaggle	To talk quickly
Büffeln	[ˈbʏfl̩n]	To buffalo	To study
Aalglatt	[ˈaːlˈɡlat]	Smooth as an eel	Slick
Naschkatze	[ˈnaʃˌkat͡sə]	A munching cat	Someone who loves sweets
Hosenstall	[ˈhoːzn̩ˌʃtal]	Stable of the pants	Fly (of pants)
Faulpelz	[ˈfaʊ̯lˌpɛlt͡s]	Lazy fur	Lazy person
Blitzmerker	[blɪt͡s,mɛʁkr]	A flash noticer (ironic)	Someone who is slow to notice
Kleinkariert	[ˈklaɪ̯nkaˌʁiːɐ̯t]	Small-plaid-patterned	Petty-minded

Food and Drink-Related Slang

German food culture profoundly influences its language, sprinkling everyday speech with phrases that reflect a love for food and drink. For example, if Germans find something straightforward, they might say it’s “ein Kinderspiel” or “ein Stück Kuchen” — in English, “a child’s game” or “a piece of cake.” When they’re complete, they might say they’re “pappsatt,” which means “full.”

Slang (German)	Literal Translation	Meaning (English)	Usage
Bierbauch	Beer belly	Potbelly caused by beer	“Er hat einen Bierbauch bekommen.”
Kaffee-Klatsch	Coffee gossip	Casual gossip over coffee	“Lass uns auf einen Kaffee-Klatsch treffen.”
Sahneschnittchen	Cream slice	Attractive person	“Sie ist echt ein Sahneschnittchen.”
Jemanden zum Fressen gern haben	To want to eat someone up	To really like someone	“Ich hab dich zum Fressen gern.”
Schokolade macht glücklich	Chocolate makes happy	Chocolate is comforting	“Ich brauche Schokolade, das macht glücklich.”
Hunger wie ein Wolf haben	To be hungry like a wolf	To be extremely hungry	“Ich habe Hunger wie ein Wolf!”
Das ist nicht mein Bier	That’s not my beer	That’s not my concern	“Das ist nicht mein Bier, kümmer dich drum.”
Wurstigkeit	Sausageness	Indifference	“Seine Wurstigkeit ärgert mich.”
Milchmädchenrechnung	Milkmaid’s calculation	Oversimplified calculation	“Das ist doch eine Milchmädchenrechnung!”
Kohldampf schieben	Pushing cabbage steam	To be very hungry	“Ich schiebe totalen Kohldampf!”
Nicht das Gelbe vom Ei	Not the yellow of the egg	Not the best, mediocre	“Das ist nicht gerade das Gelbe vom Ei.”
Um den heißen Brei herumreden	To talk around the hot porridge	To avoid the main issue	“Hör auf, um den heißen Brei herumzureden.”
Alles in Butter	Everything in butter	Everything is fine	“Keine Sorge, alles in Butter.”
Die Suppe auslöffeln müssen	Have to eat the soup	To deal with the consequences	“Du musst jetzt die Suppe auslöffeln.”
Den Braten riechen	To smell the roast	To suspect something	“Ich hab den Braten schon gerochen.”

At social events, you’ll often hear “etwas auf die Hand,” meaning “something for the hand.” This refers to snacks you can eat without needing a fork or spoon. And when it comes to making plans, if someone comes up with a wild or silly idea, they might call it a “Schnapsidee.” This phrase, which translates to “a schnapps idea,” suggests it’s the idea you might come up with after a few drinks.

Compliments and Criticisms

In German slang, compliments and criticisms are often indirect and colorful, reflecting a cultural preference for subtle communication. For example, a compliment might be, “You really have something going for you!” which shows admiration without being too straightforward. Criticisms, on the other hand, often use humor to make them less harsh, like saying, “You can’t be serious, right?” This way of speaking is vital to how Germans interact, balancing honesty with politeness.

Finance-Related Slang

When discussing finance in German, we like to keep it light and funny. For example, we call money “Kohle,” which means coal. It’s a nod to the old days when coal was king. Another playful word for money is “Moneten.” When someone loses their investment, we say they “in den Sand setzen,” which literally means they put it in the sand. It’s a colorful way to say they wasted it. These phrases aren’t just fun—they show how we think about money and economics in everyday life. They give us a peek into the values and attitudes that shape our society.

Slang (German)	Literal Translation	Meaning (English)	Usage
Kohle	Coal	Money	“Er verdient eine Menge Kohle.”
Schotter	Gravel	Money	“Hast du genug Schotter für das neue Auto?”
Moneten	Coins	Money	“Ich brauche ein paar Moneten für den Urlaub.”
Asche	Ash	Money	“Wo hast du die ganze Asche her?”
Zaster	Slang for cash	Money	“Er hat ordentlich Zaster gespart.”
Miese machen	To make a deficit	To incur a loss	“Das Unternehmen hat letztes Jahr Miese gemacht.”
Kreditfalle	Credit trap	Debt trap	“Vorsicht vor der Kreditfalle!”
Bankster	Bankster (Blend of banker and gangster)	Corrupt banker	“Die Bankster ruinieren den Markt.”
Pleite gehen	To go broke	To go bankrupt	“Das Unternehmen ist letztes Jahr pleite gegangen.”
Abzocken	To rip off	To scam someone	“Pass auf, dass dich keiner abzockt.”
Schwarze Null	Black zero	Balanced budget (no deficit)	“Das Ziel ist die schwarze Null.”
Spekulant	Speculator	Risky investor	“Die Spekulanten treiben die Preise hoch.”
Börsencrash	Stock market crash	Sudden stock market collapse	“Nach dem Börsencrash verloren viele ihr Geld.”
Taler	Thaler (Old currency)	Money (often in nostalgic or playful sense)	“Hast du noch ein paar Taler übrig?”
Geld regiert die Welt	Money rules the world	Money controls everything	“Am Ende regiert Geld die Welt.”
In den roten Zahlen sein	To be in the red	To be in debt	“Das Unternehmen ist seit Monaten in den roten Zahlen.”
Geld verbrennen	To burn money	To waste money	“Mit solchen Investitionen verbrennst du nur Geld.”
Den Gürtel enger schnallen	Tighten the belt	To reduce spending	“Wir müssen den Gürtel enger schnallen.”
Kursrutsch	Price slide	Sharp drop in stock prices	“Nach der Krise gab es einen heftigen Kursrutsch.”

Conclusion

“German Slang and Expressions: A Thorough Guide” clearly breaks down the informal German language. It dives into different topics like common greetings and financial slang, helping you understand and use the language in everyday life. It also shows how language connects with culture, making it easier to fit in when speaking with Germans. Essentially, this guide is your go-to for getting to know the German-speaking world better and more personally.