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Papperlapapp
- What is a funny German slang word? A funny German slang word is Papperlapapp which means “poppycock” or “hogwash” in English. This is a great addition to your German vocabulary, as the word means you think something is utter rubbish, or untrue. You can impress locals with your German skills by using this slang word in conversation.
Repeat after us “Klackermatsch.” Understand just how funny Germans can be with some of these funny German words, phrases, zany fun facts!
- Table of Contents
- Silly German Names to Call People
- Funny German Words About The Body
- Funny German Names For Animals
- Weird German Words About Things
- Funny German Words For Doing Something
1. Gurkentruppe
Any idea what Germans mean when they talk about a “cucumber squad?” Cucumbers are the only vegetable that is eaten while still unripe. So a Gurkentruppeconsists of members lacking any experience. Basically it’s a team of muppets or a bunch of losers, so it’s a term often used for sports teams who didn’t perform as expected.
2. Lulatsch
A Lulatsch means a very long and rather thin person, i.e. someone who’s described in English as a beanpole. Sometimes even exaggerated in the form of langer Lulatsch. (Langmeaning long, of course.)
3. Miesepeter
What exactly is a “wretched Peter“? You know this one colleague, who predicts a negative outcome for every idea or plan you come up with? Yes, that’s a Miesepeter! It’s a person who’s moody and likes to paint everything in black.
1. Hüftgold
Hip goldis a rather nice description for the excess fat you’re carrying around your waistline and your hips. Sometimes the word is also used to describe the food which might lead to these extra pounds, like chocolate or cake.
2. Kummerspeck
Another term for overweight, but this time with a justification included. Clever Germans! Many people tend to eat when they feel lonely or depressed. The literal translation of “Kummerspeck” is “misery bacon” and and this German word describes the surplus weight gained by eating too much comfort food.
3. Sitzfleisch
Now, what on earth does a native speaker mean, when he’s speaking of “seat meat“? Now, when a Germans says, some has “seat meat” (or better “sitting meat“) he means, someone who is able to sit on his spot for a long time. That could mean guests you’d rather see leaving or in a business context, someone who doesn’t move from his position.
1. Innerer Schweinehund
OK, this interesting creature isn’t even a real animal. Your “inner pig dog” is the little monster inside you which stops you from hoovering, ironing your shirts or clearing out the garage. All these little tasks everyone has to do and no one really enjoys. And before you do them, you have to overcome your inner pig dog which wants you to stay on your couch and read funny blog posts instead.
2. Nilpferd
Ok, it does have four legs. And a head. And a bit of a tail. But whoever came up with the idea to call a “hippo” a nile horse, must have been short-sighted. Or a bit tipsy.
3. Schildkröte
Now, what kind of animal might a German mean when he talks about a “shield toad?” It’s a turtle! I get the shield bit, but toad?
1. Absacker
You’ve been out and about with your friends. You all had a good time, but now it’s time to go home or to your hotel and get some sleep. But on the way you spot this cosy looking little bar! And you persuade your friends to have one last drink… This famous last drink is what Germans call an Absacker. In English, a “nightcap“.
2. Betthupferl
Originally Betthupferlmeant a flea, something unexpected hopping around in your bed. Luckily, fleas are very rare in German beds nowadays, so the word got a new meaning. It describes the little chocolate or other sweets better hotels might put on your pillow. When you’re at home and not in a hotel, it means basically the same thing. A little snack or sweet you might indulge in before brushing your teeth and going to sleep.
3. Drahtesel
Did you go to work on a “wire donkey” today? That’s an informal expression for a bicycle, officially known as “Fahrrad“(Drive Wheel).
1. Rumeiern
To “egg around” means you’re moving around without any clear sense of direction. This might be on a road or more figuratively speaking, like when holding a speech.
2. Verklickern
“Da hat es bei mir bei Klick gemacht.” That’s one of the expressions Germans use, when they suddenly understand something they couldn’t grasp before. Literally, it clicked for them. So, one of the verbs meaning to explain something to someone else is “zu verklickern.”
3. Verschlimmbessern
The verb “verbessern” means to improve. Whereas “verschlimmern” is the opposite, to make things worse. But what do Germans mean, when they combine the two verbs in the word “verschlimmbessern?” It means you try to enhance a situation, but achieve quite the opposite. Think of trying to put out a fire by pouring a liquid over it. Only to realize you’ve been pouring petrol into the flames…
- Emily Petsko
- Arschgeige. Someone who doesn’t perform a particular task very well can be called a “butt violin,” or arschgeige.
- Bananenbieger. Someone who’s engaged in a pointless task, who can’t concentrate, or has no direction in life can be called a bananenbieger, or “banana bender.”
- Erbsenzähler. A “pea counter” is a nitpicker who obsesses over the little details. Similarly, you can call an overly pedantic person who always plays by the rules an ameisentätowierer, or “ant tattooist.”
- Lustmolch. This word literally translates to “pleasure newt,” which is what you’d call someone who can’t get enough horizontal refreshment (a delightful 19-century slang term for sex).
- Da liegt der Hund begraben. English translation: That’s where the dog’s buried. Normally dead dogs are an occasion for sadness and lost childhood innocence, but the Germans use the subject toward more matter-of-fact means.
- Kein Schwein war da. English translation: Not a pig was there. For the rest of civilization, the absence of swine is a prerequisite of a good place. Not so in sausage-savoring Germany.
- Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen. English translation: Where fox and hare say goodnight to one another. Do they kiss before going to bed? Is it a secret rendezvous?
- Das ist mir Wurst. English translation: That’s sausage to me. A very artful way of saying that you don’t care at all, this is considered even stronger than Das ist mir egal (That doesn’t matter to me).
Dec 12, 2023 · In this post, we share 149 German slang words and expressions that you might not find in your textbook. Words like "geil" (cool) and expressions like "bock haben" (be up for something) will have you sounding like a German native speaker in no time.
Feb 8, 2024 · In this section, we'll show you answers to common questions relating to funny German phrases. What is a popular German phrase? A popular German phrase is "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof," which translates to "I only understand train station." It humorously means not understanding something at all. What is a famous German quote?
Explore 64 German slang words, slang phrases, and expressions to sound like a native speaker. Use popular German slang in your conversations.
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