Tölpel
What does “Tölpel” mean in English?
It's an insult for someone who's clumsy or foolish, like calling them a simpleton. The literal translation refers to a type of bird known for its awkwardness.
Literally “booby bird”
You'd use it directly to poke fun at someone being a bit of a buffoon, similar to calling someone a 'dumbass' in English. It's generally mild and can come off as more comic than harsh.
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Related German words
Esel
1/5 · MildIt's a mild insult used to call someone a fool. Literally, it means 'donkey', which reflects a common stereotype of donkeys being foolish.
Dummkopf
2/5 · CoarseIt means fool or idiot, referring to someone who is acting stupidly. The literal translation is 'stupid head.'
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.
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.