Dumpfbacke
What does “Dumpfbacke” mean in English?
It's a comic insult aimed at someone perceived as dim-witted. The literal translation, 'dull cheek,' adds a playful twist to the insult.
Literally “dull cheek”
It's used as a direct insult, similar to calling someone a 'dumbass' in English. The tone is mocking rather than harsh, making it less severe than some other insults.
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Related German words
Dödel
2/5 · CoarseIt's a light-hearted insult for someone acting foolish, and it can also refer to a penis in a casual way. The context can shift based on regional use.
Hornochse
2/5 · CoarseIt's a comic insult for someone who is a complete fool or idiot. The literal translation refers to a 'horned ox,' which adds a humorous touch.
Arsch mit Ohren
3/5 · VulgarThis is a humorous insult for someone who's annoying or unpleasant, essentially calling them an 'arse with ears.'
Arschgeige
3/5 · VulgarThis is a humorous way to call someone an annoying idiot, implying they're as useless as a violin made for your arse. It's not meant to be taken literally.
About this data
Swear Atlas is a source-attested, AI-curated reference — not a native-speaker-certified dictionary. Meanings and the 1–5 Burn Rating are approximate editorial assessments that vary with context, region, tone and speaker. Inclusion of a word does not constitute endorsement of its use.
The literal gloss is a short editorial translation to show word-for-word sense, not an etymological claim.
“Sounds like” is an English-friendly approximation of how the word sounds, not an authoritative pronunciation. Where shown, the romanisation is a conventional Latin-script transliteration of the original spelling.
Term attested via Viddexa SafeText (MIT). Editorial content © Swear Atlas.