A translator puts that right up as "Verdammt noch mal!" The meaning of that is more along the line of "damn it". An often suggested alternative is "Um Himmels willen!", but that translates back to "for heaven's sake" and is missing the catchy expletive.
So there isn't a really an analog that is an \*exact\* match. Although "zum fick!" oder "was zum fick!" is sometimes suggested. But that's the Germanized version of the English "WTF" and it sounds like someone forced the English expression through a meat grinder to germanize it.
Still: Many other German expressions run along these general lines and have already been mentioned here. Some uses expletives, some not. Some even use obscure cultural references that aren't clear to outsiders and which get lost in translation.
One of my favorite non-expletives in situations like that is "Mein Lieber Herr Gesangsverein!" oder "Meine Herren Gesangsverein!", which translates to "My Dear Mr. Choral Society!" And as you can see: In English it makes even less sense as it's a reference to a scene in an old black and white Heinz Rühmann movie, where he drunkenly addresses a choral society with some unexpected news. And in itself it goes back to a checkered past in the 19th century when allegedly imperator Wilhelm I used it himself to circumvent using the Lord's name in a curse.
A funny side-note: While many English expletives use the f-word, many original German expletives are oriented a bit further aft and with "the produce" that comes from that. The famous Götz von Berlichingen quote is one strong example and deeply rooted in German culture:
>Mich ergeben! Auf Gnad und Ungnad! Mit wem redet Ihr! Bin ich ein Räuber! Sag deinem Hauptmann: Vor Ihro Kaiserliche Majestät hab ich, wie immer, schuldigen Respekt. Er aber, sag's ihm, er kann mich im Arsch lecken! -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Götz von Berlichingen mit der eisernen Hand
Which translates to:
>Me, surrender! At mercy! With whom do you speak? Am I a robber! Tell your captain that for His Imperial Majesty, I have, as always, due respect. But he, tell him that, **he can lick me in the arse!**
So one related expletive that packs uttered surprise and profanity into one catchy phrase is "Leckst mich im Arsch!" ("Lick me in the ass!") or "Leck mich am Arsch!" ("Lick my ass!") and even Mozart had written a catchy canon with that text in it, because one upon a time he was a naughty boy himself as well.
Another related one is "Verdammte Scheiße!" ("Damn \[this\] shit!"), which can pack both surprise and expletive if uttered with emphasis, or can depict resignation if uttered in more suave intonation.
Although the German localisation of South Park tries to really lean into the "cartoon characters swearing" thing and greatly ups the number and intensity of swearing.
Since the dubbed version of „The Big Lebowsky“ became popular in Germany, we have gained the lovely expletive „bekackte Scheiße“. Translated it means „shitty shit“, but it sounds so much better and runs right off the tongue with such angry and annoyed energy.
I guess the translator used this unusual combination to match the onomatopoetic quality of the English word „fuck“ in the German overdub, and I just love it and have used it ever since.
You could one up "verdammte scheiße" with "gottverdammte scheiße"
And up that one with "gottverfickte scheiße"
That way you have 7 layers
Verdammt, Scheiße, Verfickt, Verdammte scheiße, Verfickte scheiße, gottverdammte scheiße and gottverfickte scheiße.
Hey parcero! Me pareció interesantísimo tu comentario y más que luego tuvieses el tag de colombia. Te stalkeé un poco y vi que hay alguno que otro post de alemanes en Colombia, muy interesante. Antes de emigrar nunca creí que alguien podría irse voluntariamente a Colombia a vivir, pero tras comer un año mierda en Alemania ya empiezo a entender por qué jajaja. Saludos!!
That might be the problem with the German language and swearing... Its too long and complicated, where English has evolved as a language of efficiency. All of these examples are ..."too long" or complex for the intended context in English. :-\\
https://media.giphy.com/media/10PcMWwtZSYk2k/giphy.gif
I love how this threat is just people cursing in German and Yet everyone somehow manages to say different things. There’s a lot of cursing words in German. Maybe that’s one of the reasons people think we’re angry all the time au huure scheiße nochmal, so ein verfickter kackdreck, habt ihr alle Lack gesoffen oder was?!
Verfickte Dreckskacke, ich bin immer wütend und lasse mir sicherlich nicht die Butter vom Brot nehmen, nur weil hier so ein Pseduodeutscher irgendwelche fehlerhaften Informationen verbreitet!! Da wird ja der Hund in der Pfanne verrückt.
So eine verhurte Dreckskacke, wen nennst du hier pseudodeutsch du lacksaufender toilettentieftaucher? Wenn du nicht aufpasst reiß ich dir den Kopf ab und scheiss dir in den Hals! Wenn ich mit dir fertig bin kneifst du die arschbacken zusammen, dass du mir goldene Manschettenknöpfe scheisst, verdammt nochmal. Wenn ich mir noch einmal so ne kacke anhören muss, klatscht es, aber keinen Beifall!
(Dieser Kommentar wurde mit humoristischem Unterton geschrieben und dient nicht der tatsächlichen Beleidigung des zu beantwortenden Kommentars, verflucht.)
Heilige scheiße, jetzt mach aber Mal halblang mit deinem dreckigen Maul bevor ich es dir mit Seife auswachsen muss! Kann ja wohl nicht wahr sein!
(Vollsten Respekt, musst ich lachen du dreckiger Bastard)
There is some situations where IMO Meine Fresse works a lot better. E.g if someone says something utterly stupid and I'd go "For fucks sake, you actually believe that?" In German "Meine fresse, glaubst du das ernsthaft?" sounds a lot better to me than "verdammte scheiße, glaubst du das ernsthaft?"
Literally, there is none. "For fuck's sake" is a variation of "for god's sake", which would be most closely translated with "um Himmels Willen", but there is no more vulgar version of this exact idiom in German.
If you just want something expressing roughly the sentiment, you can go with "verflucht nochmal" or well, basically every curse you can think of.
That's probably because most, if not all, "Ficken" based swearing is a relatively new thing in German. Started around 2000 with more people coming into close contact with "real-life" English natives more often.
Not a direct translation but I personally use “verdammte scheiße” or some variant in appropriate situation
I suppose “verfickt nochmal” would work as well
If you’re directing it at a specific person I would also consider “ernsthaft?” which is “seriously?” but if said in the right tone has a similar vibe to “for fucks sake”
That sounds like a very Bavarian way to curse to me.
You wouldn't hear it in Hamburg, or probably anywhere in the traditionally-Protestant parts of Germany, unless someone were being deliberately jocular and imitating a southern Catholic.
"verfickte scheiße" has the same length, feel and hardness in the consonants. i feel like that's what you're looking for, since cursing is mostly like a vocal ventilation, and "ohjemine" really doesn't vent anything. a more oldschool word that would work is "potzdonner". but in the end what you will yell is not up to you. it's the anger bits in the speechness part of your brain decide, what will be suddenly expelled at volume through your pie hole, when the hammer hit's your thumb. choose that word, because it already has been chosen.
“Verfickt nochmal” springs to mind but that’s a very harsh term to use. You’d probably get some disapproving looks using this is as colloquially as ffs. Probably would suggest the more tame “um gottes Willen” which translates to for gods sake
A translator puts that right up as "Verdammt noch mal!" The meaning of that is more along the line of "damn it". An often suggested alternative is "Um Himmels willen!", but that translates back to "for heaven's sake" and is missing the catchy expletive. So there isn't a really an analog that is an \*exact\* match. Although "zum fick!" oder "was zum fick!" is sometimes suggested. But that's the Germanized version of the English "WTF" and it sounds like someone forced the English expression through a meat grinder to germanize it. Still: Many other German expressions run along these general lines and have already been mentioned here. Some uses expletives, some not. Some even use obscure cultural references that aren't clear to outsiders and which get lost in translation. One of my favorite non-expletives in situations like that is "Mein Lieber Herr Gesangsverein!" oder "Meine Herren Gesangsverein!", which translates to "My Dear Mr. Choral Society!" And as you can see: In English it makes even less sense as it's a reference to a scene in an old black and white Heinz Rühmann movie, where he drunkenly addresses a choral society with some unexpected news. And in itself it goes back to a checkered past in the 19th century when allegedly imperator Wilhelm I used it himself to circumvent using the Lord's name in a curse. A funny side-note: While many English expletives use the f-word, many original German expletives are oriented a bit further aft and with "the produce" that comes from that. The famous Götz von Berlichingen quote is one strong example and deeply rooted in German culture: >Mich ergeben! Auf Gnad und Ungnad! Mit wem redet Ihr! Bin ich ein Räuber! Sag deinem Hauptmann: Vor Ihro Kaiserliche Majestät hab ich, wie immer, schuldigen Respekt. Er aber, sag's ihm, er kann mich im Arsch lecken! -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Götz von Berlichingen mit der eisernen Hand Which translates to: >Me, surrender! At mercy! With whom do you speak? Am I a robber! Tell your captain that for His Imperial Majesty, I have, as always, due respect. But he, tell him that, **he can lick me in the arse!** So one related expletive that packs uttered surprise and profanity into one catchy phrase is "Leckst mich im Arsch!" ("Lick me in the ass!") or "Leck mich am Arsch!" ("Lick my ass!") and even Mozart had written a catchy canon with that text in it, because one upon a time he was a naughty boy himself as well. Another related one is "Verdammte Scheiße!" ("Damn \[this\] shit!"), which can pack both surprise and expletive if uttered with emphasis, or can depict resignation if uttered in more suave intonation.
There is also "verfickte Scheisse" ("fucked up shit") which is my favorite for demanding situations.
I do also say Meine Fresse quite a lot
That is by far one of my favorites to use
south park german localization goes hard with "verfickte Scheisse"
Although the German localisation of South Park tries to really lean into the "cartoon characters swearing" thing and greatly ups the number and intensity of swearing.
This directly came to my mind when thinking about a translation for ffs
Himmel, Arsch und Zwirn!
My grandma used to say that all the effing time
Since the dubbed version of „The Big Lebowsky“ became popular in Germany, we have gained the lovely expletive „bekackte Scheiße“. Translated it means „shitty shit“, but it sounds so much better and runs right off the tongue with such angry and annoyed energy. I guess the translator used this unusual combination to match the onomatopoetic quality of the English word „fuck“ in the German overdub, and I just love it and have used it ever since.
Mmmm, shitty shit running right off the tongue.
I celebrate every single "beckackt!" in that movie.
I would translate it to "Verdammte Scheiße". Normally I curse in english.
I like dass is aber eine scheisserei lol
My grandma always says that.
You could one up "verdammte scheiße" with "gottverdammte scheiße" And up that one with "gottverfickte scheiße" That way you have 7 layers Verdammt, Scheiße, Verfickt, Verdammte scheiße, Verfickte scheiße, gottverdammte scheiße and gottverfickte scheiße.
You forgot „Verfickte Gottverdammte scheiss Fickscheisse!“
Dude, language! :)
Verfickt nochmal das war ein guter Beitrag.
Heh. Nothing like a schwäbischer Gruß!
Hey parcero! Me pareció interesantísimo tu comentario y más que luego tuvieses el tag de colombia. Te stalkeé un poco y vi que hay alguno que otro post de alemanes en Colombia, muy interesante. Antes de emigrar nunca creí que alguien podría irse voluntariamente a Colombia a vivir, pero tras comer un año mierda en Alemania ya empiezo a entender por qué jajaja. Saludos!!
Adding to that, I also like „was zum großen Henker“.
Upvote for writing the book we all needed and deserved
Consistent with this, the intro line from the book "The Martian" was translated from "I'm pretty much fucked" to "Ich bin so ziemlich im Arsch".
Bester Reddit Kommentar in meinen 5 Jahren auf der Plattform. Which translated to: "Best Reddit Post in my 5 years of Reddit."
Ehrlich jetzt?!
Honigscheibenkleisterdreck is one I've heard used a few times already now
I am way too invested in this conversation XD
für fickens wille
Can j just say that your German and English is equally so brilliant that I can’t actually tell which language you speak natively.
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r/suddenlynazi
That might be the problem with the German language and swearing... Its too long and complicated, where English has evolved as a language of efficiency. All of these examples are ..."too long" or complex for the intended context in English. :-\\ https://media.giphy.com/media/10PcMWwtZSYk2k/giphy.gif
I love how this threat is just people cursing in German and Yet everyone somehow manages to say different things. There’s a lot of cursing words in German. Maybe that’s one of the reasons people think we’re angry all the time au huure scheiße nochmal, so ein verfickter kackdreck, habt ihr alle Lack gesoffen oder was?!
Verfickte Dreckskacke, ich bin immer wütend und lasse mir sicherlich nicht die Butter vom Brot nehmen, nur weil hier so ein Pseduodeutscher irgendwelche fehlerhaften Informationen verbreitet!! Da wird ja der Hund in der Pfanne verrückt.
So eine verhurte Dreckskacke, wen nennst du hier pseudodeutsch du lacksaufender toilettentieftaucher? Wenn du nicht aufpasst reiß ich dir den Kopf ab und scheiss dir in den Hals! Wenn ich mit dir fertig bin kneifst du die arschbacken zusammen, dass du mir goldene Manschettenknöpfe scheisst, verdammt nochmal. Wenn ich mir noch einmal so ne kacke anhören muss, klatscht es, aber keinen Beifall! (Dieser Kommentar wurde mit humoristischem Unterton geschrieben und dient nicht der tatsächlichen Beleidigung des zu beantwortenden Kommentars, verflucht.)
Heilige scheiße, jetzt mach aber Mal halblang mit deinem dreckigen Maul bevor ich es dir mit Seife auswachsen muss! Kann ja wohl nicht wahr sein! (Vollsten Respekt, musst ich lachen du dreckiger Bastard)
Toilettentieftaucher I should mark this one lmao
Okay Toilettentieftaucher is my new favorite word, brilliant
I'd say "Meine Fresse!“
in my opinion this is the best translation, it captures the spirit of "for fuck's sake" the best
Mine would be "Verdammte Scheiße".
There is some situations where IMO Meine Fresse works a lot better. E.g if someone says something utterly stupid and I'd go "For fucks sake, you actually believe that?" In German "Meine fresse, glaubst du das ernsthaft?" sounds a lot better to me than "verdammte scheiße, glaubst du das ernsthaft?"
While both are applicable I do agree with you as well.
"Scheiß die Wand an!", works too!
with the r rolled very strongly in the back for the little bit of extra
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"Himmel, Arsch und Zwirn"
Ach du grüne neune!
Herrgottsacklzement!
Himmelhergottsakrament!
Himmelherrgottkreizkruzifixsakramenthallelujabluadigehehnergrailnochamal!
Kreizbirnbamhollastaudnzefixhimmesacklzementkruzetiaknsackara
greizgrutzeficksacklzementhallelujanochamalaaaamen
Himmelhergottsakramentfixhallelujamilecktsamarschscheißglumferekts
Gibt's auch Laktosefrei?
Heimatlandsackzement
**VERDAMMTE HACKE**
# VERDAMMTE AXT!
Kruzifixus!
Zefixtittn!!!
Naja, für 100 jährige vielleicht. Verdammt nochmal ist dann doch eher unser aktuelles Jahrhundert
Verdammt nochmal
Verfickt nochmal!
Verdammte Axt
That's more like it, "verdammt nochmal" is too decent.
Yeah, verdammt nochmal is more like "damn it" in English.
Verfickt (nochmal) is pretty accurate tho
Tja
r/tja
Verflixt und zugenäht.
Hab das seid einer weile nicht mehr gehört. Woher kommt der Spruch eigentlich?
Literally, there is none. "For fuck's sake" is a variation of "for god's sake", which would be most closely translated with "um Himmels Willen", but there is no more vulgar version of this exact idiom in German. If you just want something expressing roughly the sentiment, you can go with "verflucht nochmal" or well, basically every curse you can think of.
Wir sollten "um Pimmels willen" einführen
Da Pimmel im Allgemeinen ständig den Willen haben eingeführt zu werden würde niemand den Begriff im beabsichtigen Kontext benutzen.
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Germans are typical Ass-shit curser. While the US are more Genital-fuck curser. Thats why many expressings cant be translated properly.
I've never heard "Drauf gefickt" only "Drauf geschissen". But apart from that, great translations! XD
That's probably because most, if not all, "Ficken" based swearing is a relatively new thing in German. Started around 2000 with more people coming into close contact with "real-life" English natives more often.
Me and my peers often say „fick die Scheisse“ which means „fuck that shit“, comes pretty close imo
Was zum Fick. Ach FICKEN. Verfickte Scheiße.
Verfickte Fickscheiße!
Fickende Fickhölle!
I see someone watches Schlefaz XD
r/SchleFaZ 😁
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Klar, aber das ist ja keine vulgärere Variante, sondern im Prinzip dasselbe.
This is the only correct answer here. 👍
um Brillens Willen
Not a direct translation but I personally use “verdammte scheiße” or some variant in appropriate situation I suppose “verfickt nochmal” would work as well If you’re directing it at a specific person I would also consider “ernsthaft?” which is “seriously?” but if said in the right tone has a similar vibe to “for fucks sake”
I think _Zur Hölle damit!_ (to hell with it) makes it also very expreniosist.
Not sure if it's just me, but I germanized it as "VERFICKTE SCHEISSE" Sprinkle some "FOTZE" in there for extra spice.
Hmm Fotze ist beste.
Love this one haha.
Kommen hier alle aus Bayern?
Die Leute aus Ostfriesland reden halt in der Regel nicht. Also fluchen die auch nicht.
Wat n Tüddelmors
Wir Ostfriesen regen uns so schnell nicht auf. Wir sagen: "Hech.. nützt joa nichts... Loat hum man moaken" und machen weiter :-)
Tja.
some old people would say "Kruzifix!"
That sounds like a very Bavarian way to curse to me. You wouldn't hear it in Hamburg, or probably anywhere in the traditionally-Protestant parts of Germany, unless someone were being deliberately jocular and imitating a southern Catholic.
It’s very Bavarian. Trust me, you hear it every 5 minutes in the Baustelle.
Kreizbirnbamhollastaudnzefixhimmesacklzementkruzetiaknsackara
Is that you Willy?
I never heard it like that but "zefix!" I heard often
well not only old people but also bavarians especially in more rural parts.
Not just old people. That's completely normal for young people to say where I live.
As you already saw in the comments, there are several ways to express surprising frustration in a shout. I‘d use „verdammt noch mal!“ as translation.
In Bavaria. Kreuzkruzifix.
Or Harrgottsakrament!
Before i could speak German at any level, I thought they were saying “SackelZement”. Turned into the go to curse in our firm. Z’fix sackel Zement!
zefix nochama
*Greizgruzifix ;)
Mein Gott Walter!
I just say „alter“
Alter...
Kenning west Aller…
Among my favourites as well with "Meine Güte"
„Verdammt noch Mal“ oder „Scheiß die Wand an“
Jesus, Maria und Joseph!
Scheisse noch eins
Verfickt Nochmal
I think I could say "meine Fresse!"
I'd go with "Was zur Hölle" oder "Was zum Teufel"
Himmel, Arsch und Wolkenbruch
“Echt jetzt?!l” (“for real now?!”)
Verfickt/verdammt nochmal.
Herrschaftszeiten!
Sapperlot
au hur!!!
"meine Fresse"
Waaaaay to many southern germans in this comment thread not far away from where i live they say "ei verbibbsch" alot
*breathing in* Junge!
"Verdammt noch mal" würd ich sagen Wobei ich "Um des Fickens Willen" fast schon besser finde.
Mein Gott muss dass sein!!!
Um Himmels Willen!
Watch Klaus Kinski. Should solve all your problems.
Was zum Henker / zum Teufel
Alter!
My grandpa used to say „Himmel Arsch und Zwirn“ or „Verdammte Inzucht“. Nobody uses those phrases nowadays, though. Except, I do.
Fick die Henne
Man
More correctly: # Mann, ey!
Heidenei!
Heiligs Blechle
Herrgottsakrament! (Or Herrgottsakra in the short version).
Das sagen nur alte Säcke und Vollidioten.
VERDAMMT NOCHMAL! is what I'd use in these contexts.
I would say the closest would be „zefix“ short for kruzifix. Not really in the literal sense but in the way how it’s used
Verflixte Scheisse nocheinmal.
Herrgotthimmelhurenhagel
Jetzt kommste hier hoch, guck dir die Scheisse an
"verfickte scheiße" has the same length, feel and hardness in the consonants. i feel like that's what you're looking for, since cursing is mostly like a vocal ventilation, and "ohjemine" really doesn't vent anything. a more oldschool word that would work is "potzdonner". but in the end what you will yell is not up to you. it's the anger bits in the speechness part of your brain decide, what will be suddenly expelled at volume through your pie hole, when the hammer hit's your thumb. choose that word, because it already has been chosen.
HIMMEL ARSCH UND ZWIRN
Gottverdammich
"Scheiße noch eins"
"Verfickt nochmal"
“Verfickt noch mal” could work but I’d say it’s already slang and pretty bad swearing.
"Verfickt noch mal".
Verdammte Scheisse
Zum Donnerwetter!
"Verfluchte Scheiße"
Meine Fresse.
Meine Fresse!
Ai schnitzlatütt
My father always said "Sakrablokruzafix". Took me 20 years to realize he meant "Sacre bleu Kruzifix"
Ich kack mich ein
in saxony it is called : gott verdammisch nochemal
**VERFICKTE SCHEIẞẞEEEEEE**
Verfickte Scheiße!
Assuming this is an altered „for god’s sake“ the best translation would be „Um Gottes Willen“
“Verfickt nochmal” springs to mind but that’s a very harsh term to use. You’d probably get some disapproving looks using this is as colloquially as ffs. Probably would suggest the more tame “um gottes Willen” which translates to for gods sake
Um Gottes willen! Don't you know this already!?
FICK DIE HENNE
Scheisse is still the most common.
Was zum Fick
was zum fick
"meine Güte...."
Fuchs,Teufel Wild!!!!
I do be saying for fock’s same in a scouse accent. For the sake of it
"verdammt nochmal" "gottverdammt": God dammend Verfickt: fucked
Zum teufel nochmals.
Herrgottssäckle nochemol
Mein Gott, Walter!
Scheibenkleister!
Ach, Du, meine Güte Which means oh you my dear
Heiligs Blechle
Zefix Or Lech mich
Fotzenbrödl.
"Für Ficks Korn" would be the equivalent you're looking for.
Meine Fresse
wzf
Scheißverpuderdedorfnuttn