German
10 German swear words you'll actually hear
A traveller's shortlist of German expletives, insults and exclamations — what they mean, and how strong they are.
Every language swears differently. This guide collects 10 German expressions you're genuinely likely to hear — from mild exclamations to properly strong stuff — and explains what each one actually means, not just its dictionary translation.
Burn Ratings are an approximate, cross-language heuristic. Context, region, tone and who's speaking all change how a word lands. Treat these as a guide, not gospel.
- 1Erbsenzähler 1/5 · Mild
Literally “pea counter”. Insult for a pedantic nitpicker. Often humorous and not obscene.
Full entry → - 2Esel 1/5 · Mild
Literally “donkey”. Mild insult for a fool. The ordinary animal noun is neutral.
Full entry → - 3Lümmel 1/5 · Mild
Literally “rascal”. Mild insult for an ill-mannered young person. Can be affectionate scolding.
Full entry → - 4Mist 1/5 · Mild
Literally “manure”. Mild exclamation of frustration; also rubbish. Common euphemistic alternative to stronger swearing.
Full entry → - 5pinkeln 1/5 · Mild
Literally “urinate”. Informal verb meaning pee. Usually mild, not necessarily a swear word.
Full entry → - 6Bauerntrampel 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “farmer's clumsy person”. Insult for someone considered uncouth or clumsy. Class-coded insult; the rural stereotype can be offensive.
Full entry → - 7besoffen 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “drunk”. Very drunk, expressed coarsely. Informal state description rather than an insult by itself.
Full entry → - 8Blödmann 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “stupid man”. Insult for a foolish person. Common mild-to-moderate insult.
Full entry → - 9Bonze 2/5 · Coarse
Derogatory label for a wealthy or powerful person. Class/power criticism; no ethnic sense intended here.
Full entry → - 10brunzen 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “urinate”. Coarse regional verb meaning piss. Especially southern German and Austrian contexts.
Full entry →