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One of the biggest headaches for distance learners of German is the comprehension of German slang and foul language. To decode the German street jargon it helps to be familiar with the most common German curse words as they represent a major part of the slang vocabulary. Some German words used as swearwords are harmless when part of regular vocabulary but can also be used offensively while others only occur in foul language. Literal translations of German curse words into English may not always be accurate. Certain German swear words may be used in similar situations but with different frequency, or may be harsher or milder in their meaning than their English equivalents, so be careful when using them. Therefore, if you wish to swear in German, make sure you thoroughly understand the actual meaning of German cuss words you intend to use.
Furthermore, German has adopted a number of English bad words. A good example is “Shitstorm” which happens to be a lot more popular in German than it is in English. Likewise, many Germans tend to use the English swearwords “fuck” and “shit” instead of their German counterparts which can often be used in similar context.
The reasons why German learners wish to learn German swear words and insults vary but most people only want to know them to be able to better understand the German street jargon and bad language in German movies, reality shows, songs or social media. Many non-native German speakers will never feel comfortable using German insults in real situations.
Below you can find an alphabetical list of the most frequently used German swear words, insults and offensive phrases with their translations into English. Not every single word on this list is a bad word but each of them can be used as a curse word or an insult. Defamatory meanings of some of these words may be difficult to find in a dictionary.
A List of German Curse Words and Offensive Phrases
| German original | English equivalent |
| das Aas | bitch, swine (lit. carcass) |
| der Aasgeier | vulture |
| der Abschaum | scum |
| sich abzapfen | to jerk off |
| der After | anus |
| der Angeber | braggart |
| der Armleuchter | bonehead, knucklehead |
| der Arsch | ass |
| der Fettarsch | fat-ass |
| der Oberarsch | supreme idiot (lit. super ass) |
| leck mich am Arsch (short: leck mich) | kiss my ass (lit. lick my ass) |
| das geht mir am Arsch vorbei | I don’t give a shit about that |
| setz deinen Arsch in Bewegung! | get your arse into gear! |
| der Arschficker | ass-fucker |
| die Arschfotze | lit. ass-cunt |
| das Arschgesicht | shitface (lit. ass-face) |
| der Arschkriecher | bumlicker, ass-crawler |
| der Arschgeiger | dickhead, ass-strummer |
| das Arschloch | asshole |
| dummer Arsch | jerk (lit. dumb ass) |
| blödes Arschloch | stupid asshole |
| der Bastard | bastard |
| behindert | handicapped, retarded |
| der Beidl | dick |
| der Saubeidl | pig dick |
| blöd | stupid |
| blöde Gans | stupid woman (lit. goose) |
| bumsen | to fuck |
| der Depp | idiot |
| die Dirne | prostitute |
| Donnerwetter! | darn it! |
| zum Donnerwetter! | my goodness! |
| der Dreck | dirt, crap |
| die Drecksau | dirty pig |
| der Drecksack | dirty bastard |
| der Dreckskerl | filthy bastard |
| dumm | stupid |
| dummes Huhn | stupid chicken |
| stockdumm | utterly stupid |
| der Dummkopf | blockhead, shithead |
| die Dumpfbacke | dumb-ass |
| der Dussel | twit, twerp |
| die Eier | balls (lit. eggs) |
| der Esel | donkey |
| feiger Hund | coward |
| ficken/der Fick | fuck (verb/noun) |
| fick dich | fuck you |
| fick dich ins Knie | same as above (lit. fuck yourself in the knee) |
| geh fick deine Mutter (Vater, Schwester) | go fuck your mother (father, sister) |
| ich ficke deine Mutter | I fuck your mother |
| der Fickfehler | retard (lit. fuck error) |
| der Mutterficker | motherfucker |
| die Flasche | looser (lit. botle) |
| die Flöte | cock (lit. flute) |
| flöten | to suck cock (lit. play the flute) |
| die Fotze | pussy, cunt |
| die Stinkfotze | stinking cunt |
| die Fregatte | fat old bitch |
| die Fresse | gob |
| die Hackfresse | shitface (lit. chopped face) |
| halt die Fresse! | shut up! |
| furzen/der Furz | fart (verb/noun) |
| geil | horny, but also awesome or wicked |
| halt die Klappe! | shut up! |
| halt’s Maul! | shut up! |
| hau ab! | take a hike, get lost |
| Himmeldonnerwetter! | damn it! (lit. sky-thunder-weather) |
| Himmelherrgott! | goddamn it! |
| der Hoden (plural die Hoden) | testicles, balls |
| der Hodensack | scrotum |
| die Hölle | hell |
| fahr zur Hölle! | go to hell! |
| was zur Hölle… | what the hell… |
| die Hure | whore |
| dreckige Hure | dirty whore |
| der Hurensohn | son of a bitch |
| das Hurenkind | bastard (lit. child of a whore) |
| der Idiot | idiot, jerk |
| kacken/die Kacke | to take a crap/shit |
| die Klappe | gob |
| halt die Klappe! | shut the fuck up! |
| die Knalltüte | wimp, twit |
| kotzen | puke, throw up |
| zum Kotzen | awful |
| die Kuh | twerp (lit. a cow) |
| dumme Kuh | lit. stupid cow |
| geh ene Kuh melken | go milk a cow |
| das Luder | bitch |
| das Schwanzluder | slut |
| der Lutscher | sucker, sissy |
| der Schwanzlutscher | cocksucker, gay |
| das Maul | gob |
| halt’s Maul | shut up |
| die Mieze | pussy (also pussy-cat) |
| miese Ratte | dirty rat |
| die Missgeburt | freak, bastard |
| der Mist | shit, damn |
| das Miststück | bitch |
| der Bockmist | bullshit, nonsense |
| verdammter Mist! | goddamn it! |
| die Möpse | boobs, tits |
| die Möse | cunt, pussy |
| die Muschi | pussy (kitty), loser |
| die Nervensäge | pain in the neck (lit. nerve-saw) |
| die Nüsse | nuts, balls |
| die Nutte | hooker, whore |
| der Nuttensohn | son of a whore |
| onanieren/sich einen runterholen | to masturbate |
| der Penner | bum, git, jerk |
| die Pfeife | dick |
| die Pflaume | pussy (lit. prune) |
| der Piefke | German (used by Austrians) |
| der Pimmel | cock, dick penis |
| pinkeln | to urinate |
| die Pisse/pissen | piss (noun/verb) |
| die Pissnelke | nerd, jerk |
| verpiss dich | fuck off, piss off |
| der/das Puff | whorehouse |
| die Puffmutter | whorehouse madam |
| der Sack | bastard, bugger |
| (ein) fauler Sack | lazy bum, bugger |
| das Sackgesicht | dickface |
| Sakra! | damn! |
| die Sau | pig, swine |
| das Sauwetter | awful weather |
| der Saukerl | skunk, bastard |
| die Scheide | vagina |
| die Scheiße/scheißen | shit (noun/verb) |
| der Scheißdreck | shit, crap (lit. crap dirt) |
| der Scheißkopf | shithead |
| der Scheißkübel | lit. shit bucket |
| der Hundeschiß | dog shit |
| verdammter Scheiß | bloody hell |
| du scheißt mich an | you are a pain in the ass |
| beschißen | crappy, lousy, miserable |
| das Scheißhaus | toilet (lit. shithouse) |
| der Scheißkerl | asshole (lit. shit-guy) |
| der Schleimscheißer | ass-kisser (lit. slime-shitter) |
| der Hosenscheißer | coward |
| der Klugscheißer | know-it-all, smart ass |
| das ist mir scheißegal (furzegal) | I don’t give a fuck |
| die Schlampe | whore, slut, bitch |
| schleich dich! | fuck off, get lost |
| der Schleimer | kiss ass |
| der Schwachkopf | moron, blockhead |
| der Schwachsinniger | same as above |
| der Schwanz | cock, dick penis |
| der Affenschwanz | monkey-dick |
| der Schlappschwanz | wimp |
| geh einen Schwanz lutschen | go suck a dick |
| das Schwein | pig, bastard, swine |
| der Schweinekerl | same as above |
| der Schweinehund | same as above (lit. pig-dog) |
| die Schweinerei | filth, dirty trick, mess |
| die Schwuchtel | fag (male gay) |
| der Schwuler/Schwuli | fag, poof |
| spinnst du? | are you mad? |
| der Spinner | nutjob, madman |
| der Stinker | stinkpot |
| der Stricher | male prostitute |
| der Strichjunge | same as above |
| die Stricherin | female prostitute |
| das Strichmädchen | same as above |
| zum Teufel! | dammit! (lit. to devil) |
| geh zum Teufel! | go to hell! |
| die Titten | tits, boobs |
| die Hängetitten | droopy tits |
| der Trottel | fool, idiot |
| der Dorftrottel | hayseed, local idiot |
| der Volltrottel | complete idiot |
| die Tratschtante | blabbermouth |
| verdammt | damn, damnit, bloody |
| gottverdammt | god damn it |
| verdammt noch mal | damn it all |
| verflucht | damnm, bloody |
| das Weichei | sissy, wimp |
| der Wichser | wanker |
| der Flachwichser | fuckwit, fucking wanker |
| die Zicke | bitch |
| die Ziege | bitch (lit. doe goat) |
| dumme Ziege | stupid bitch |
| zieh Leine! | get lost! |
German Swear Words and Insults in YouTube Videos
How to swear in German Part 1: German bad words and Part 2: German insults from the channel Learn German with Anja
Most obscene German insults: German insults from “grandma’s vocabulary” – an entertaining lesson from the channel Get Germanized
German swearwords Part 1 and Part 2 from the channel Easy Languages: random people in the German city of Münster are asked about their favourite cuss word
German curse words and Funny German insults, some common as well as less common terms from the German teaching channel DontTrustTheRabbit
Use Slang and Swear Words with Caution
If you study German while living far from Germany and you are not very much into movies, TV shows, pop music or social media you may never come across German swearwords. But to understand the native speakers in the streets of Germany or in a bar you should also know some contemporary German slang and bad language. The above list of German curse words and phrases should help you improve your comprehension of German street slang. Learn them but better do not use them. If you really want to use these words and phrases, make sure you perfectly understand their subtle meaning to avoid getting into embarrassing situations.