{"id":93031,"date":"2023-12-12T04:02:57","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T09:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/casual-informal-german-slang\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T10:50:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T14:50:14","slug":"casual-informal-german-slang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/german\/casual-informal-german-slang\/","title":{"rendered":"149 German Slang Words and Phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think about all the English slang you use with friends on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

Well, the German you’ll hear on the streets ain’t the stuffy language used in your textbooks, either!<\/p>\n

Here are 149 German slang words and expressions that, while they’d likely cause the average textbook editor to clutch their metaphorical pearls, can spice up your German skills.<\/a><\/p>\n

By the way, the German word for “slang” is umgangssprache. <\/em>Keep that in mind in case you want to ask your German-speaking friends to teach you more of these cool words!<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The 14 Most Common German Slang Words<\/h2>\n

1. Na?<\/em><\/h3>\n

Na?<\/i> might be the shortest way of asking about someone\u2019s wellbeing in any language. It’s a way to say \u201cHello\u201d and \u201cHow are you doing?\u201d at the same time. There’s even a special intonation to it.<\/p>\n

To be a bit clearer about what you mean, you can combine Na? <\/i>with other forms of greeting<\/a> like Na, alles gut?<\/i> <\/i>(Well, is everything good?),<\/i> Na, wie gehts?<\/i> (Hey, how are you?) or\u00a0 Na, was geht ab?<\/i> <\/i>(So, what’s going on?).<\/p>\n

The best part is that Na?<\/i> also serves as a reply to itself. Na? \u2013 Naaa?<\/i> is a complete conversation in which both parties have said hello and asked how life is going.<\/p>\n

Benjamin:
\nNa, alles klar?
\n<\/em>(Hey, everything good?)<\/p>\n

Lena:
\nJa und bei dir?
\n<\/em>\u00a0(Yes, you?)<\/p>\n

2. chillen<\/em><\/h3>\n

The German verb chillen<\/i> comes from the English \u201cto chill.” It basically has the same meaning: to hang out, rest and generally take it easy.<\/p>\n

The word also has an adjective form, chillig, <\/i>which is mostly used to describe a laidback atmosphere or relaxing surroundings while having a chill night.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, in German, you often chill in rounds.\u00a0Eine Runde chillen<\/em> is an important part of the weekend activities for many younger Germans.<\/p>\n

Rhea:
\nWir wollen an den See fahren und eine Runde chillen.
\n<\/em>(We want to go to the lake and chill for a bit.)<\/p>\n

Tom:
\nNach der Arbeit will ich erstmal chillen.
\n<\/em>(After work, I wanna chill first.)<\/p>\n

3. Tsch\u00fc\u00df!<\/i><\/h3>\n

This one means \u201cgoodbye,\u201d<\/a> whether it\u2019s on the phone or in person. You’ll hear it so much that you’d be surprised at just how often it replaces the proper goodbye, Auf Wiedersehen<\/em>, in daily life.<\/p>\n

A friend who was visiting me from the States pointed out that when we say Tsch\u00fc\u00df,<\/i> we raise the tone of our voices a full octave. There’s even a bit of a singsong melody when you say it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Variants\u00a0include tsch\u00fc<\/em>, tsch\u00fc-tsch\u00fc<\/em> and tsch\u00fc\u00dfi<\/em> (the i<\/em> is a common, cutesy diminutive used for all sorts of things).\u00a0Tsch\u00fc\u00df<\/i>\u00a0can truly give your vocal range a bit of exercise every day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ingrid:
\n<\/em>Dann sehen wir uns morgen. Tsch\u00fc\u00df! <\/i><\/em>
\n(I’ll see you tomorrow then. Bye!)<\/p>\n

Petra:
\nBis dann! Tsch\u00fc\u00dfi!
\n<\/em>(See you then! Byeee!)<\/p>\n

4. Ciao!<\/em><\/h3>\n

Germans respect their southern neighbors so much that many have adopted their greeting in German.<\/p>\n

Italians are actually the largest group of non-Germans in Germany after the Turkish, and there was even a relatively small group of Italian\u00a0Gastarbeiter<\/em> (guest workers) brought into the country in the 1950s.<\/p>\n

Germans have loved going to Italy since the days of Goethe, so it’s only natural that such a snappy farewell got picked up by savvy Germans.<\/p>\n

Carolina:
\nBesuche mich bald! Ciao!
\n<\/em>(Come visit me soon! Bye!)<\/p>\n

Monika:
\n<\/em>Mach ich! Ciao! <\/em>
\n(I will! Bye!)<\/p>\n

5. Servus!<\/em><\/h3>\n

A common greeting in the south, this one literally means “I am your servant” in Latin. Before you get weirded out by it, just know that it’s mostly used in certain parts of Germany, like Bavaria<\/a> and Austria<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A more modern interpretation of the literal meaning would be something like “at your service.”\u00a0You can use it to say either “hello” or “goodbye.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Josef:
\nServus!
\n<\/i><\/i>(Greetings!)<\/p>\n

Maria:
\nAch, kommst du aus Bayern? <\/i>
\n<\/i>(Oh, are you from Bavaria?)<\/p>\n

6. n\u00f6<\/em> \/ nee<\/em><\/h3>\n

Rather than actually saying nein<\/i><\/a> in conversation, you’ll hear n\u00f6<\/i>\u00a0said much more often. This one is more about the intonation than the actual meaning and is an informal way of saying “no.”<\/p>\n

Hearing this word is like fingernails on a chalkboard to an Austrian though, where they say j<\/em>o<\/i> and na <\/i>instead of ja<\/i> and n<\/em>\u00f6,<\/i>\u00a0respectively.<\/p>\n

It’s kind of like saying “nah,” so make sure that you use it with friends instead of strangers or people you don’t know well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

G\u00fcnter:
\nNoch ein Bier?<\/em>
\n(Another beer?)<\/p>\n

Karl:
\nN\u00f6, mir ist satt.<\/em>
\n(Nah, I’m full.)<\/p>\n

7. Jaaa-haaa! Neeeiii-heiiin!<\/em><\/b><\/h3>\n

It sounds a little childish, but if you’re being skeptical about what someone said, a German might emphasize that they’re not exaggerating by stretching out the word ja<\/i> and putting an h<\/i>\u00a0in the middle of it.<\/p>\n

The resulting word ends up sounding like two syllables instead of one. You, of course, have to add the super annoyed tone to it for the full effect.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s something that kids will say to each other if they’re having an argument, and it always sounds a little childish. You can extend the vowel in any word for emphasis by adding an h<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Jonas:
\n<\/i>Bist du dir sicher, dass du den Ofen ausgemacht hast? <\/em>
\n(Are you sure that you turned off the oven?)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Sebastian:
\nJaaaa-haaaa! Bin doch nicht duuu-huuum!
\n<\/i>(Yeeeee\u2013hessss!!! I\u2019m not stuuuu\u2013piddddd!)<\/p>\n

8. geil<\/em> <\/h3>\n

Geil<\/i> is a difficult word for German learners to use because it can mean “horny,” “good-looking” and “cool” at the same time. In everyday conversation<\/a>, it ends up being used when something is cool.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can also see it in pop culture. If you say leider geil<\/i> (unfortunately geil<\/i>), it refers to the song Leider Geil<\/i> by Deichkind<\/a> (NSFW), which is about things that are awesome but also have negative side effects.<\/p>\n

Friedrich Liechtenstein, a famous German actor and singer, made the viral video Supergeil<\/i><\/a>. This was so popular that he was asked to make a parody sequel<\/a> by the German supermarket chain Edeka, which is even funnier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Emilia:
\n<\/em>Ich hab Rammstein Tickets gekauft!<\/em>
\n(I bought Rammstein tickets!)<\/p>\n

Clara:
\nOh geil! Kann ich auch mitkommen? <\/em>
\n(Oh cool! Can I come, too?)<\/p>\n

9. krass<\/em><\/h3>\n

Krass<\/i> literally means “crass,” “stark” or “blatant” in English.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In German, its meaning has been broadened and the word can be used to describe almost anything in a more intense way. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something negative.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You could say something like\u00a0Krasse Musik!<\/em> (cool music!) or Krasses Essen!<\/i> (nice food!) If you say it in response to what someone just said, it could be understood as “damn” to indicate surprise or shock.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ida:
\nIch bin vorhin meinem Ex mit seiner neuen Freundin begegnet!
\n<\/em>(I ran into my ex with his new girlfriend earlier!)<\/p>\n

Thomas:
\n<\/em>Krass! Wie hast du reagiert?<\/em>
\n(Damn! How did you react?)<\/p>\n

10. Alter<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This slang word is popular with young people. It literally means “age,” but is used as “dude,” “mate” or “man.” Only use this one if you’re down with the kids!<\/p>\n

One possible origin of this is another slang phrase\u00a0alter Schwede<\/em>, which literally means “old Swede.” You can use this entire phrase when you’re expressing surprise or disbelief.<\/p>\n

Alter Schwede<\/em> is said to date back to the Thirty Years War, when Swedish soldiers that were older and more experienced were hired to train Prussian armies. The phrase has apparently stuck.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Paul:
\n<\/em>Alter, hast du wirklich so viel bezahlt? <\/em>
\n(Dude, did you really pay that much?)<\/p>\n

Elias:
\nJa, ich f\u00fchle mich so dumm.
\n<\/em>(Yeah, I feel so silly).<\/p>\n

11. H\u00e4?<\/em><\/h3>\n

Germans have a lot of hand expressions<\/a> to indicate that they think someone is stupid or crazy.<\/p>\n

One of them is waving their hand in front of your eyes, as if they’re checking if you’re still alive by seeing if your eyes are responding to light. Another is a vigorous thrust with the index finger into the forehead.<\/p>\n

These expressions are often accompanied by the sound “H\u00e4\u00e4\u00e4<\/i>?”, which means “what the heck!”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ida:
\nIch glaube, ich rufe mal Oskar an.
\n<\/em>(I think I’m going to give Oskar a call.)<\/p>\n

Thomas:
\n<\/em>H\u00e4\u00e4\u00e4? Den Ex-Freund, dem du vorhin begegnet bist? <\/em>
\n(Whaaat? The ex-boyfriend you ran into earlier?)<\/p>\n

12. \u2018 (silent \u201ce\u201d)<\/h3>\n

Drop the e\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>ending of the verb in the first person singular form.<\/p>\n

Karl:
\nIch hab\u2019 heute Geburtstag<\/em>.
\n(It\u2019s my birthday today.)<\/p>\n

Michel:
\nIch geh\u2019 ins Kino.
\n<\/em>(I\u2019m going to the cinema.)<\/p>\n

13. \u2018n \/ \u2018ne \/ \u2018nen \/ \u2018nem \/ \u2018ner<\/h3>\n

As all the essential grammatical information\u2014gender<\/a>, case<\/a> and singular\/plural\u2014is at the end of the indefinite article<\/a>, Germans drop the ei<\/em><\/strong> in\u00a0ein<\/strong><\/em> and all its variations except for the\u00a0Genetiv <\/em><\/strong>form.<\/p>\n

Mae:
\nIch treff\u2019 mich mit \u2018nem Freund<\/em>.
\n(I\u2019m meeting with a friend.)<\/p>\n

Brandon:
\nWir gehen in \u2018ne Bar. <\/em> (We\u2019re going to a bar.)<\/p>\n

Again, the genitive form of \u201cein\u201d isn’t contracted, as in:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Rina:
\nPaul ist der Freund einer Freundin.
\n<\/em>(Paul is the friend of a [female] friend).<\/p>\n

14. \u2018s<\/h3>\n

This abbreviation stands in for es.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rob:
\nWie geht\u2019s dir?<\/em>\u00a0
\n(How are you?)<\/p>\n

Lena:
\nHat\u2019s geregnet?
\n<\/em>(Has it rained?)<\/p>\n

50 More German Slang Words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
German Slang Word<\/th>Literal Translation<\/th>Slang Meaning<\/th>Example Sentence (German)<\/th>Example Sentence (English)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
abchecken<\/td>to check <\/td>to evaluate or assess something<\/td>Hast du abgecheckt, ob das eine allergische Reaktion ist ?<\/td>Have you checked to see if it's an allergic reaction?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
abgefahren<\/em><\/td>cool; far out; wicked; funky<\/td>anything extraordinary (neutral or positive connotation)<\/td>Ich finde das Haus voll abgefahren.<\/em><\/td>I think the house is way cool.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
abh\u00e4ngen<\/td>to hang down<\/td>to hang out or spend time together informally<\/td>Lass uns heute Abend abh\u00e4ngen.<\/td>Let's hang out tonight.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Angeber<\/td>show-off<\/td>someone who boasts or shows off<\/td>Er ist ein richtiger Angeber.<\/td>He's a real show-off.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Asche<\/td>ashes<\/td>money<\/td>Ich habe keine Asche mehr.<\/td>I don't have any money left.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e4tzend<\/em><\/td>awful<\/td>lousy, awful<\/td>Mann, der Tar war echt \u00e4tzend heute!<\/em><\/td>Man, today was really awful!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ausflippen<\/td>to flip out<\/td>to go crazy or lose control<\/td>Er ist total ausgeflippt, als er die Nachricht geh\u00f6rt hat.<\/td>He completely flipped out when he heard the news.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Babbeln<\/td>to babble<\/td>to chat or talk casually, often used pejoratively when someone is talking nonsense <\/td>Die haben keine Ahnung, wovon die babbeln! <\/td>They've got no idea what they're talking about!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Babo<\/td>boss<\/td>a term used to refer to someone in charge or the leader<\/td>Der Typ ist hier der Babo.<\/td>That guy is the boss around here.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bescheuert<\/em><\/td>dumb, crazy, stupid<\/td>stupid or senseless<\/td>Sag mal, bist du bescheuert?!<\/em><\/td>Say, are you crazy?!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cool<\/td>cool<\/td>great or awesome<\/td>Das Konzert gestern Abend war echt cool.<\/td>The concert last night was really cool.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
D\u00f6ner<\/td>d\u00f6ner kebab<\/td>Turkish kebab sandwich<\/td>Hast du Lust auf einen D\u00f6ner?<\/td>Do you feel like having a d\u00f6ner kebab?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Draufg\u00e4nger<\/td>on-goer<\/td>daredevil or someone who takes risks<\/td>Er ist ein echter Draufg\u00e4nger.<\/td>He's a real daredevil.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jein<\/td>mishmash of \"ja\" and \"nein\"<\/td>yes and no<\/td>Hat alles geklappt? \/ Jein. <\/td>Did everything work? \/ Yes and no. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kippe<\/td>butt of a cigarette<\/td>cigarette<\/td>Hast du eine Kippe f\u00fcr mich?<\/td>Do you have a cigarette for me?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Frischling<\/td>youngling<\/td>a newcomer or beginner<\/td>Der Frischling braucht noch etwas \u00dcbung.<\/td>The newcomer still needs some practice.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gammelkiste<\/td>junk box<\/td>old, worn-out car or place<\/td>Sein Auto ist echt eine Gammelkiste.<\/td>His car is really a junk box.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gammeln<\/td>to decay<\/td>to loaf around or be lazy<\/td>Ich werde heute den ganzen Tag gammeln.<\/td>I'm going to loaf around all day today.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hammer<\/td>hammer<\/td>awesome or fantastic<\/td>Das Konzert war der Hammer!<\/td>The concert was awesome!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Heulen<\/td>to howl<\/td>to cry or sob<\/td>Ich habe gestern bei dem Film geheult.<\/td>I cried during the movie yesterday.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hirni<\/td>brainy<\/td>someone without a brain, an idiot<\/td>Der Typ ist so ein Hirni. <\/td>The guy's such an idiot. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Klappen<\/td>flaps<\/td>to work out or succeed<\/td>Hoffentlich klappt alles wie geplant.<\/td>Hopefully everything will work out as planned.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Knete<\/td>dough<\/td>money<\/td>Kannst du mir ein bisschen Knete leihen?<\/td>Can you lend me some dough?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kumpel<\/em><\/td>buddy<\/td>guy friend<\/td>Er ist ein guter Kumpel.<\/em><\/td>He is a good buddy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Labern<\/em><\/td>to prattle on, chat<\/td>to prattle on, chat<\/td>Mit Labern und Lachen kamen die endlich an.<\/em><\/td>They finally arrived, blabbing and laughing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lappen<\/td>cardboard nose, person who wears a red nose <\/td>clown, idiot<\/td>Mal aufpassen! Du Pappnase! <\/td>Pay attention! You clown! <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
M\u00e4del<\/em><\/td>gal, girlie<\/td>female counterpart of \"Typ\"<\/td>Ich kenne das M\u00e4del.<\/em><\/td>I know the girl.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mumpitz<\/td>nonsense<\/td>nonsense or baloney<\/td>Das ist alles Mumpitz.<\/td>That's all nonsense.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nervens\u00e4ge<\/td>nerve saw<\/td>someone who is annoying or a pain in the neck<\/td>H\u00f6r auf, so eine Nervens\u00e4ge zu sein.<\/td>Stop being such a pain in the neck.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bammel<\/td>fear<\/td>jitters, nervousness, scared<\/td>Ich hab einen riesen Bammel vor dem Flug morgen. <\/td>I'm really nervous for the flight tomorrow. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birne<\/td>pear<\/td>head, noggin<\/td>Er hat einen Schlag auf die Birne bekommen. <\/td>He got hit in the noggin. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Panne<\/td>flat tire<\/td>failure or goof-up<\/td>Das war echt eine Panne von mir.<\/td>That was a real goof-up on my part.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plempe<\/td>swill<\/td>cheap or low-quality alcoholic beverage<\/td>Dieser Wein ist die reinste Plempe! <\/td>This wine is pure swill! <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quatsch<\/td>nonsense<\/td>nonsense or rubbish<\/td>H\u00f6r auf mit dem Quatsch.<\/td>Stop with the nonsense.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rappelkiste<\/td>rattling box<\/td>old, unreliable car<\/td>F\u00e4hrst du immer noch diese Rappelkiste?<\/td>Are you still driving that old thing?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rumlungern<\/td>to linger<\/td>to loiter about<\/td>Die Jungs lungern immer vor dem Supermarkt rum.<\/td>The guys always loiter about in front of the supermarket.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schnauze<\/td>snout<\/td>mouth or shut up<\/td>Halt die Schnauze!<\/td>Shut up!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
umwerfend<\/td>throwing over<\/td>gorgeous, stunning<\/td>Du siehst heute Abend umwerfend aus!<\/td>You look gorgeous tonight!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kohle<\/td>coal<\/td>money<\/td>Ich hab keine Kohle mehr.<\/td>I don't have any money left. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schotterpiste<\/td>gravel track<\/td>bumpy road or path<\/td>Die Stra\u00dfe dorthin ist eine echte Schotterpiste.<\/td>The road there is a real bumpy track.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schr\u00e4g<\/td>slanted<\/td>weird or strange<\/td>Die Typen da dr\u00fcben sind echt schr\u00e4g drauf.<\/td>Those guys over there are really weird.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schussel<\/td>scatterbrain<\/td>someone who is forgetful or absent-minded<\/td>Der Schussel hat seinen Schl\u00fcssel schon wieder vergessen. <\/td>The scatter brain forgot his key yet again. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Simsen<\/td>to text<\/td>to send text messages (somewhat antiquated these days with the rise of online messaging)<\/td>Ich werde dir simsen. <\/td>I will text you. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stulle<\/td>slice<\/td>sandwich<\/td>Ich esse gerne eine Stulle zum Fr\u00fchst\u00fcck.<\/td>I like to have a sandwich for breakfast.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
toll<\/em><\/td>great<\/td>great<\/td>Ich finde das Buch toll!<\/em><\/td>I think the book is awesome!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
T\u00fcte<\/td>bag<\/td>joint or marijuana cigarette<\/td>Der Typ raucht ne T\u00fcte. <\/td>That guy is smoking a joint. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typ<\/em><\/td>guy<\/td>implies dislike or suspicion when used by older speakers<\/td>Der Typ ist echt nervig.<\/em><\/td>This guy is really annoying.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Zaster<\/td>coin<\/td>money<\/td>Gib mir ein bisschen Zaster f\u00fcr den Bus.<\/td>Give me some coin for the bus.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Zoff<\/td>brawl<\/td>trouble or conflict<\/td>Gestern gab es Zoff in der Kneipe.<\/td>There was trouble in the pub yesterday.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
zulabern<\/em><\/td>to chibber on<\/td>to chibber on<\/td>Kennst du diese Leute, die einfach zulabern?<\/em><\/td>Do you know those people who just prattle on and on?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

You’re bound to encounter these words and expressions while traveling around Germany, speaking with\u00a0language exchange partners<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0navigating German etiquette and customs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You’re also sure to run into many of these slang expressions on FluentU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

\r\n