SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German phrase of the day: Das ist mir Wurst

This popular German phrase is a fun way to declare that you really don’t care.

German word of the day The Local
Photo: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr

Why do I need to know it?

It’s one of those phrases you can pull out to show you’re really in tune with the German lingo – not to mention how cool and indifferent you are.

What does it mean?

Das ist mir Wurst literally translates to “that is sausage to me.” Though it might sound strange to our ears, this is the German way of indicating that you have no interest in something, akin to saying “I couldn’t care less” in English.

You can use the expression in the same context you would use the phrase “das ist mir egal,” but it will give your expression of disinterest a bit more emphasis. In that way, it’s more like saying, “das ist mir scheiß egal” (“I really don’t care,” or, “I don’t give a f***”).

There are many theories for exactly how the phrase developed. One theory relates to the fact that, back in the olden days, the type of meat that goes in a sausage was completely unregulated, meaning that butchers would simply use whatever random scraps they had left over. In other words, any meat they used was “sausage” to them. Another theory points out that sausages are a good symbol for indifference, since it doesn’t matter which end you start eating them from. Unfortunately, we’ll probably never know which theory is right. 

READ ALSO: German phrase of the day: Es geht um die Wurst

One thing we do know, however, is that the phrase’s sausage-inspired origins speaks to the popularity of such colloquialisms in the German language. Indeed, once you get the hang of “das ist mir Wurst,” you can add it to your arsenal of other sausage-related sayings, like “alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei,” or “es geht um die Wurst.” 

And if you really want to prove your German expertise, try pronouncing Wurst like Wurscht: that’s how they say it in southern Germany.

Use it like this:

Wer wird heute das Fußballspiel gewinnen? Das weiß ich nicht. Ist mir Wurst.

Who will win the football game today? I don’t know and couldn’t care less.

Es ist mir Wurst, in welches Restaurant wir gehen.

I really don’t care which restaurant we go to. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Rechtsruck

The word describes a trend in German politics that has been worrying many foreigners.

German word of the day: Rechtsruck

The word Rechtsruck comes up from time to time in German politics. It was recently plastered all over the German headlines the day after the European parliamentary elections, for example.

If you want to discuss the mood of the country’s voters in broad terms, Rechtsruck is a good term to have up your sleeve.

What does it mean?

Der Rechtsruck (pronounced like this) can best be translated as a lurch to the right.

It describes a sudden shift in politics to favour right-wing parties, and in some cases, the right-wing extremist and right-wing populist parties like Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).

Disillusionment with Germany’s centre-left government is peaking presently, and it appears that voters are increasingly turning to the right-wing CDU/CSU and the far-right AfD in elections and opinion polls.

This played out in the recent EU elections with the coalition parties losing 21 points between them, while the CDU/CSU emerged victorious and the AfD significantly increased their vote share.

READ ALSO: What do Germany’s far-right gains in EU elections mean for foreigners?

Beyond elections, ein Rechtsruck can also denote a more general embrace of conservative and right-wing ideas, such as a socially conservative stance on marriage or the LGBTQ+ community. This can play out as a lurch to the right within parties themselves, if more hard-line voices gain influence while moderates are left on the side-lines. 

Alongside Rechtsruck, you may also come across the term Rechtsrutsch, which means a slide to the right or a right-wing landslide. This version is more extreme, and usually means that a far-right party has unexpectedly made huge gains in an election.

Though it hasn’t happened too much recently in Europe, there is of course such a thing as a Linksruck: a lurch to the left in which left-wing voices suddenly gain influence in parties and elections. 

Use it like this:

Was ist der Grund für den aktuellen Rechtsruck in der deutschen Politik? 

What’s the reason for the current shift to the right in German politics?

Viele Ausländer machen sich Sorgen über den Rechtsruck in Deutschland. 

Many foreigners are worried about the shift to the right in Germany.

SHOW COMMENTS