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GERMAN LANGUAGE

10 ways to talk about being drunk in German

Germany is famous for its love of beer and, with Oktoberfest now in full swing, here are some phrases to help you express various levels of inebriation in the German language.

Published: 27 September 2022 09:12 CEST
Updated: 1 October 2022 09:50 CEST
10 ways to talk about being drunk in German
Two men sit in the Isar river in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, in 2015, toasting with beer. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Andreas Gebert

1. Betrunken sein

The most straightforward way to express alcohol-induced intoxication in German, which will leave no one in any doubt as to your state, is to use the word betrunken meaning “drunk”.

Example:

Es ist ihm egal – er ist betrunken!

He doesn’t care – he’s drunk!

2. Saufen

Next up is the most common word for “boozing” in German. Saufen can be used both as a verb and a noun to mean “to get drunk” or “drinking”.

Examples:

Lass uns einfach weiter saufen!

Let’s just keep drinking!

Ich habe kein Problem mit dem Saufen

I don’t have a drinking problem. 

3. Alkoholisiert sein

This is more of a formal way to talk about being drunk, and is equivalent to the English “to be under the influence of alcohol”. You’ll usually hear authorities and newspaper reports using this phrase to talk about alcohol-related incidents.

Examples:

Der Fahrer war alkoholisiert

The driver was under the influence of alcohol

Es ist aus Sicherheitsgründen untersagt, vor Spielbeginn alkoholisiert anzukommen.

For safety reasons, it is prohibited to arrive intoxicated before the start of the game.

4. Blau sein

This expression, meaning literally “to be blue” has a pretty disgusting origin story.

In the middle ages, the plant woad was used to create a blue colour for dyes.

Three young men run at the Bierathlon in Hannover in 2013. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Julian Stratenschulte

As only a small amount of alcohol was needed to speed up the dyeing process, using human urine containing alcohol was supposedly the cheapest way to ferment the dye.

READ ALSO: ‘6 German words I now use in English’

So the dyers drank beer all day and urinated into the vat where the plant was fermenting. Remember that next time you wear your favourite blue t-shirt. 

Example:

Er war so blau, dass er seinen Schlüssel nicht in die Tür bekam

He was so drunk that he couldn’t get his key in the door

5. Beschwipst sein

The phrase beschwipst sein is equivalent to the English “to be tipsy” and not yet in the full throws of drunkenness.

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Kneipe

The word was first used in Austria in the 19th century and can be traced back to the verb schwippen, meaning to sway, as it describes a drunk person who finds it increasingly difficult to walk in a straight line.

Example:

Ich bin nicht betrunken, nur ein bisschen beschwipst

I’m not drunk – just a little tipsy

6. Zu tief ins Glas schauen

This idiom is most likely a jokey rethink of the idiom tief ins Augen schauen meaning “to look someone too deeply in the eyes” as a way of saying “to fall in love with someone”.

This phrase for drunkenness has been in use in the German language since around 1700 and has even made appearances in many literary works, including those of Goethe.  

Examples:

Du solltest nicht zu tief ins Glas schauen, sonst musst du dir ein Taxi nehmen

You’d better not get too drunk, or you’ll have to take a taxi

Immer mehr Rentner schauen oft zu tief ins Glas

More and more pensioners get drunk often

 7. voll wie ein Eimer sein

This expression, meaning “to be as full as a bucket” is just one of a multitude of German expressions that include the word voll (“full”) to express drunkenness.

Grapes being carried in buckets to the transport vehicle on a vineyard in Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Heiko Becker

There are numerous phrases that start with voll wie (“as drunk as”) and end in something heavy, such as Granate (grenade), Schwein (pig), Kanone (canon), and even voll wie ein tausend Russen (“full as a thousand Russians”). Why not try making up your own variation?

8. Einen im Tee haben

This idiom is believed to have originated in northern Germany, where a drop of rum was often added to tea on cold winter days for a warm comforting feeling and to protect against the cold – especially by sailors. After one or two, of course, you would be drunk, or at least a little tipsy.

Black tea is poured during a tea ceremony at the Bünting Tea Museum. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sina Schuldt

Example:

Er hatte ganz schön einen im Tee

He’s pretty wasted

9. einen sitzen haben

This phrase is a shortened version of the older einen Affen sitzen haben meaning “to have a monkey sitting” which was used to express a heightened state of inebriation. 

READ ALSO: 7 ways to talk about money like a German

The origin of the phrase is disputed, but most believe it is to do with the fact that fools and jesters would often carry a monkey on their shoulder.

Example:

Ich hatte gestern so richtig einen sitzen

I was so drunk yesterday

10. Kater

Although Kater is also the name for a male cat, this is the German term for “hangover” that you will inevitably need to use after consuming too much alcohol.

It’s widely believed that the origin of this word comes from the medical term “Katarrh”, an inflammation of the mucous membrane, which leads to symptoms such as cough, cold, malaise and headache – similar to those of a hangover.

A visitor to Oktoberfest lies heavily drunk on a meadow in 2017. Photo: picture alliance / Tobias Hase/dpa | Tobias Hase

Example:

Ich hatte am Sonntag einen schrecklichen Kater

I had such a terrible hangover on Sunday

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GERMAN LANGUAGE

‘Umpf’: Six noises to help you sound like a German

You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local.

Published: 24 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:39 CEST
'Umpf': Six noises to help you sound like a German

For most German-language learners, it’s a familiar scenario: you kick off your language journey with textbooks and courses and eventually start to get comfortable with the tricky grammar and vocabulary.

But as soon as you start talking to a native speaker, you’ll probably hear several words you’ve never heard before – and even a few confusing noises that are hard to decipher.

These funny sounds – which are usually described as discourse markers by linguists – can be used to express anything from exhaustion to surprise, or even to check whether the person you’re talking to is listening.

If you want to sound like a native, it’s worth getting familiar with these quirky noises and trying to incorporate them in your everyday speech.

The good news is that they’re a lot more fun to use than the tricky words you learn in language schools.

What’s more, they’re an easy way to add some natural flair and personality to your German.

READ ALSO: What are the different levels in German and how do I reach them?

Tja

Hearing this word can be confusing for foreigners, because it may sound an awful lot like “ja”, or yes.

But rather than being an affirmative response to a question, ‘tja’ is often used ahead of a contradiction or as an expression of scepticism, similar to the English word “well”.

You may also hear “tja”, or even “ja”, simply used as filler words for the speaker to buy time to think about what they’re saying. For example, if a stranger asks you if the next train to Dresden leaves from Platform 3, you may respond with “Ja… nein”, if you aren’t quite sure of the answer.

Another key meaning of ‘tja’ is best summed by a meme that defines it as a the typical German response to the apocalypse, nuclear war, alien attack or having no bread in the house.

When something catastrophic has happened – like the apolocalypse or an empty bread shelf – it can be taken to mean either “I told you so” or “sh*t happens”, casting an ironic light over the gloomy situation.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

Hä

This is a word you won’t read in the German textbooks, but “hä” is a sure-fire way to sound more German in your conversations.

Much like the English “huh?”, you can use “hä?” to express surprise or incomprehension. If a friend from your German course tells you they actually enjoy learning German grammar, then a disbelieving “hä?” is probably an apt response.

In a more banal context, if you haven’t quite understood what somebody’s said, a gentle “hä?” could stand in for the more polite and formal, “wie bitte?”.

A word of warning, though: “hä?” is viewed as very informal and can even be construed as rude in certain situations, so be sure to only use it among people you’re very friendly and familiar with.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Hä?

Ne

Whether you’re a fan of German podcasts or have a few German friends who enjoy to speak at length about the world, you’ve probably come across ‘ne’ at some point or other.

It’s generally used at the end of sentences to check that the other person is listening and has understood, similar to the English “right?” or “you know?”.

For that reason, it often has a high inflection, as if you’re asking a question – though you don’t necessarily expect a response.

So next time you embark on a long rant in German, try interjecting a “ne?” or two. This can add variety to your tone and at the very least ensure the other person hasn’t fallen asleep halfway through.

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

Auwa

When a German child trips and falls over at the Spielplatz, the first thing they may shout is, “Auwaaaaa!” before calling on their parents to come and comfort them.

But it’s not just the little ones who use this noise to express pain in Germany – adults will also emit an occasional “auwa!” if they accidentally stub their toe.

A sad teddy bear with broken arm

A sad teddy bear with a broken arm. “Auwa” is the most German way to respond to a painful accident. Photo: Photo by Trym Nilsen on Unsplash

An alternative to “auwa” is the more English-style “auch!”, which is pronounced the same as “ouch!” but spelled differently. This can also be used to respond to a comment that stings a little, as a good-natured way of letting someone know your feelings were hurt.

Here’s how “auwa” is pronounced.

Puh

Though hearing this word may bring some toilet humour to mind, “puh” has less to do with bodily functions than you might expect.

It’s actually more similar to the English word “phew”, which is used to express tiredness or relief.

One scenario you might use “puh” is after running to the bus stop to catch the last bus home. Once you sprint through the doors and sink into your seat, you may let out an exhausted “puh!” to show your relief at having made it.

Before you forget the more childish connotations entirely though, it’s worth knowing you can also use “puh” when encountering something disgusting.

If it’s your turn to take out the Biomüll and the rotten vegetables are starting to emit a foul odour, you might say, “Puh! Es stinkt!” (Ew! It stinks!”), before hurrying to the bins as fast as you can. 

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

READ ALSO: 12 colourful German expressions that’ll add swagger to your language skills 

Uff / Umpf

If you’ve ever eaten an entire bowl of Käsespätzle, you probably know the sensation of feeling so full you’re about to burst.

For precisely this situation, you’ll need to know “umpf” or “uff”. Both of these words neatly sum up that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with food – but not necessarily in a bad way.

A bit like “oof!” in English, “uff” and “umpf” are ways of showing that you’re both sated and a little bit sleepy after a big meal. With Germany’s very hearty cuisine, they’re both expressions that you’ll need in your life fairly often.

Here’s how “uff” is pronounced.

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