German Swear Words: What You Need to Know

Want to learn how to swear in German but don’t know any words? Check out this post for a complete guide on German swear words!

As an Au pair living in a German household, hearing swears in German is not something I can easily avoid. My host mom swears in German from time to time and she also doesn’t mind if my host kids do it too.

However, when they do, I typically don’t have the slightest idea of what they’re saying anyways… So, at times, I’ll either brush it off or get really confused. In fact, earlier today, my host kid called his sister a blöde schwester (stupid sister) and I was at a loss for words. I wasn’t sure why his sister was so upset about it but I knew if I was going to live with them for a year I needed to know more swear words.

Therefore, if you’re looking to learn more swear words in German, you’ve come to the right place. This post alone highlights some common swear words/phrases you might hear in Germany, their vulgarity level, as well as their English equivalents.

Swear Words (german swear words)

Here are some common swear words you might hear if you’re in Germany!

Quatsch!

Pronunciation: /ˈkvatʃ/
Vulgarity Level: Mild
English Equivalent: “Nonsense”

Stemming from the German verb quatschen which means “to chat”, quatsch is a very common swear word in German. Germans use it to describe anything that sounds silly or ridiculous.

die Sau/das Schwein

Pronunciation: /diː Zaʊ̯/ /das ʃvaɪ̯n/
Vulgarity Level: Medium
English Equivalent: “Bitch” or “Bastard”

Both known as the German word for “pig”, die Sau/das Schwein are two insults that can be used to describe someone who is dirty and lazy. In fact, die Sau, in particular, is already offensive enough. It can be translated as “bitch” or “bastard” in English otherwise known as the worst way to insult someone in German.

Donnerwetter!

Pronunciation: /ˌdɔnɐ’vɛtɐ/
Vulgarity Level: mild
English Equivalent: “God damn”

Known as the German word for “thunder weather”, Donnerwetter is a German swear word that’s used to convey anger, frustration, or surprise, depending on the tone of voice. So, as a result, Germans actually can use the swear word as a standalone exclamation by itself or as an add-on to the end of other swear words.

Depp!

Pronunciation: /dɛp/
Vulgarity Level: mild
English Equivalent: “idiot”

Used as a way to refer to someone as “stupid” or “foolish”, depp is a German swear word that can be used as a standalone exclamation or as part of a phrase. Germans typically use this swear word playfully among friends or with other people they know.

Verdammt!

Pronunciation: /fɛɐ̯ˈdamt/
Vulgarity Level: mild/medium
English Equivalent: “damned” or fucking”

Known as the German word for “damned”, verdammt is a German swear word used to express anger, frustration, or disappointment. Therefore, I would highly suggest using it sparingly since it can be used quite strongly.

Scheiße

Pronunciation: /ˈʃaɪ̯sə/
Vulgarity Level: mild/medium
English Equivalent: “shit”

Known as one of the most common bad words in German, scheiße is a German swear word that literally means “shit” in English. As a result, German use this swear word in many different ways to convey creative constructions that mirror the English use of “shit”. For example, “oh shit” is oh scheiße and “piece of shit” is stück scheiße.

Der Mist

Pronunciation: /deːr ‘mɪst/
Vulgarity Level: mild
English Equivalent: “crap”, “rubbish”

Known as the German word for “rubbish” or “crap”, der Mist is another German swear word used to convey anger and frustration. It can literally be translated as “manure” in English which explains why Germans use it the way they do.

Swear Phrases (german swear words)

Here are some common swear phrases you might hear if you’re in Germany!

Leck mich am Arsch!

Pronunciation: /lɛk mɪç am aʀʃ/
Vulgarity Level: medium
English Equivalent: “kiss my ass”

Known as the German version for “kiss my ass”, this swear phrase is commonly used by Germans when they’re around people they know. In fact, since it means “lick my ass” literally it only makes sense that one would use this swear phrase sparingly.

Geh zum Teufel!

Pronunciation: /’ɡeː ‘tsʊm ‘tɔɪ̯fl̩!/
Vulgarity Level: high
English Equivalent: “go to hell”

Known as the German version for “go to hell”, this swear phrase is commonly used by Germans in many different situations. For example, Germans may use this phrase when they are angry at you and they want you to go away. They may also use this phrase when they are disappointed with you and want to express frustration. So, if you do end using this swear phrase yourself, there’s a lot of versatility.

Halt deinen Mund!

Pronunciation: /halt ‘daɪ̯nən mʊnt/
Vulgarity Level: medium
English Equivalent: “shut the fuck up”

Known as the German version for “shut the f*** up”, this swear phrase is commonly used by Germans when they need to enforce silence in various situations. In fact, Germans may use other variations of this phrase as well like Halt die Klappe!, Halt’s Maul!, or Halt die Schnauze.

Du Arschloch!

Pronunciation: /du: aʁʃlɔx/
Vulgarity Level: medium
English Equivalent: “asshole”

Known as the German version for “asshole”, this swear phrase is commonly used by Germans to describe someone who is being thoughtless or inconsiderate. Like other phrases, it can either be used as a standalone exclamation or as an add-on to other curses. So, don’t be surprised if you hear someone say “Du arschloch! Warum hast du das getan?” (You asshole! Why did you do that?). Like America, this is just another way to express your frustrations.

Halt die Fresse!

Pronunciation: /halt di: fʁɛsə/
Vulgarity Level: medium
English Equivalent: “shut up”

Similar to Halt deinen Mund, this swear phrase is also another way to tell someone to “shut up” in German. In this case, Germans commonly use this phrase when they want someone to stop talking or to stop them from saying something they might regret. But, if you were to use this phrase yourself, do take caution. This phrase can add insult to injury since you’re referring to someone’s mouth as a “trap” or “snout” when you use this phrase in German. However, if that is your intention, then go on right ahead!

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Overall, I really hope you enjoyed learning about everything you need to know about German swear words. Please let me know in the comments down below which swear word intrigued you the most. I would love to hear from you! 🙂

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