Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| so schnell wie möglich | /zoː ʃnɛl viː ˈmøːklɪç/ (word by word) |
| so bald wie möglich | /zoː balt viː ˈmøːklɪç/ (word by word) |
| schnellstmöglich | /ˈʃnɛlstˌmøːklɪç/ |
In modern German business slang and casual texting, the English acronym 'ASAP' is frequently used and understood.
Which one should you use?
Use so schnell wie möglich when the emphasis is on the speed of the action. Use so bald wie möglich when the emphasis is on the earliest possible point in time.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal or business contexts, you can use the single-word adjective/adverb schnellstmöglich to mean 'at the earliest possible moment'. Similarly, so bald wie möglich is a formal way to express "ASAP" in German. If you need to express urgency meaning 'immediately' in a formal way, you can use umgehend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Swiss German, so schnell wie möglich is an alternative meaning "as soon as possible". In some Austrian dialects, the informal phrase Husch, husch! means "hurry, hurry!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase so schnell wie möglich functions as an adverbial phrase and does not change its form based on the gender or case of the noun it might modify.
How do you pronounce it?
/zoː ʃnɛl viː ˈmøːklɪç/
Did you know?
- The German word bald, used in so bald wie möglich, is a cognate of the English word 'bold'.
- While 'asap' is common in German offices, using the single word schnellstmöglich can actually sound more professional and less demanding than the English acronym.
Examples in context
- Du sollst Tom so schnell wie möglich anrufen.Tom wants you to call him ASAP.This sentence is useful for learning how to request a phone call using so schnell wie möglich.Tatoeba #5826402 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3732175 by CK
- Ich will so schnell wie möglich eine Antwort von euch.I want an answer from you ASAP.This sentence shows how to request an answer using so schnell wie möglich.Tatoeba #2897038 by Zaghawa, translation #2014302 by CK
- Bitte gehen Sie der Sache so bald wie möglich nach.Please look into the matter as soon as possible.
- Wir brauchen diese Informationen umgehend.We need this information immediately.
- Kannst du das schnellstmöglich erledigen?Can you take care of this as soon as possible?
- Lass uns gleich losgehen!Let's go right away!
- Bitte schick mir das Dokument so schnell wie möglich.Please send me the document as soon as possible.
Example conversation
A quick phone call between colleagues in an office.
- SarahFelix, kannst du bitte so schnell wie möglich kommen?Felix, can you please come as soon as possible?
- FelixJa, ich bin in zehn Minuten da.Yes, I will be there in ten minutes.
- SarahSuper, wir warten auf dich.Great, we are waiting for you.
- FelixAlles klar, bis gleich.All right, see you soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “asap” translations and entries so bald wie möglich, schnellstmöglich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (so, schnell, wie, möglich, bald) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bald, möglich, schnell, schnellstmöglich, so, wie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
