20 Essential German Slang Words You Need to Know | Nemacki Svuda

So, you’ve mastered German grammar tables, can confidently tell a Brötchen from a Würstchen, and know the difference between dative and accusative. Fantastic! But listening to native Germans can sometimes feel like hearing a completely different language. Every language has its slang, its own culture, and German is no exception.

To bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-life conversation, we’ve compiled a list of 20 essential German slang words. These are words you’ll hear on the street, in movies, or among friends. At German Everywhere, we even sprinkle them into our online classes to make learning fun and authentic.

1. Geil

It literally means horny 🙈 Slang: cool, extra, brutally good👉 How to use: One of the most common words when you want to say that something is hot. "Das Konzert war so geil!" - "The concert was brutal!"

2. Krass

Slang: can mean "madness", "terrible", and "abnormally good/bad" - depends on the situation. 👉 How to use: a very universal word. "Das Wetter ist ja krass heute!" - "Today the weather is really abnormal!" "Krass, was für eine Aussicht!" - "Ugh, what a view!"

3. Na?

Literally, "So?" Slang: ultra short greeting, like "Hello" or "What's up?"👉 How to use: heard often. The answer can be just: "Na?" - "Na ja!" - "Alles ok."

4. Moin

A greeting that is used mainly in the north of Germany. 👉 How to use it: it's cool that it doesn't just mean "morning", but can be said all day. Moin, Leute! - "Bye team!"

5. Quatsch!

literal: Stupid Slang: "Come on!", "That's not right!", "That's stupid!"👉 How to use: when you're joking or not trusting someone. "Du hast schon wieder meine Schokolade gegessen?" - "Quatsch!" - "You ate my chocolate again?" - "Come on, I didn't

6. Hammer

Literally: hammer Slang: something is "law", "too strong"👉 How to use: "Das neue Album ist der Hammer!" - "The new album is a bomb!"

7. Alter!

Literally: old man Slang: "Brother!", "Hey!", or to express shock.👉 How to use: "Alter, was kostet der Führerschein hier?" - "Brother, how much is a driver's license here?!"

8. Läuft bei dir!

Literally: "It's coming to you" Slang: means "Congratulations!", "You're doing really well!"👉 How to use: someone gets a job or a car - you say: "Läuft bei dir!"

9. Bock haben

Literally: to have a goat 😂 Slang: to have a will for something👉 How to use: "Hast du Bock, heute ins Kino zu gehen?" - "Would you like to go to the cinema today?"

10. Assi

Abbreviated from: asocial Slang: "peasant", "simple"👉 How to use: be careful who you tell, it can be an insult. "Die Bar war total assi." - "It was very quiet in the Tavern."

11. Bekloppt

Slang: silly, crazy, stupid👉 How to use: "Bist du bekloppt?" - "Are you normal?"

12. Jein

Merged by: Ja + Nein Slang: both yes and no, that "maybe"👉 How to use: when you don't know what to say. "Magst du deinen neuen Job?" - "Jein..." - "Well, yes and no...“

13. Krise

Literally: crisis Slang: used ironically for small problems, like "smor" or "disaster".👉 How to use: "Mein Akku ist bei 5%. Echte Krise!" - "My battery is at 5%. Disaster!"

14. Voll

Literally: full Slang: "all the way", "just", "totally"👉 How to use: "Der Film war voll langweilig." - "The movie was really bad."

15. Blau sein

Literally: to be blue 😂 Slang: to be drunk👉 How to use: "Nach der Party war er total blau." - "After the party, he was completely drunk."

16. Blaumachen

Literally: to make oneself blue Slang: to skip, to run away from work/school👉 How to use: "Heute habe ich keine Lust auf Uni. Ich mache blau." - "I don't feel like going to college today, I'm skipping."

17. Abhängen

Literally: to hang down Slang: to hang 👉 How to use: "Wir hängen im Park ab." - "We're hanging in the park."

18. Zocken

Literally: to gamble Slang: to game, to play games👉 How to use: "Er zockt die ganze Nacht." - "He plays games all night."

19. Chillen

From English: chill Slang: to relax, to chill👉 How to use: "Lass uns heute einfach chillen." - "Let's just chill today."

20. Latschen

Literally: slippers Slang: to drag, to walk listlessly👉 How to use: "Ich muss noch zur Schule latschen." - "I still have to get to school."

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