Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Schnaps | /ʃnaps/ | masculine |
| Fusel | /ˈfuːzl̩/ | masculine |
| Alkohol | /ˈal.koˌhoːl/ /al.koˈhoːl/ |
masculine |
| Alkoholisches | neuter | |
| Alk | /alk/ | masculine |
In German, you can refer to alcoholic beverages using a variety of words. Alkohol is the most neutral and standard term, suitable for both medical and everyday contexts. If you are referring specifically to hard liquor or a single shot, you may use the informal term Schnaps. There are also slang verbs for the act of drinking, such as saufen, bechern and picheln.
Which one should you use?
While Alkohol is neutral, Schnaps is used informally to specify hard liquor. If the alcohol is of particularly low quality, cheap or harsh-tasting, the colloquial term Fusel is used. For a very casual shortening of the word alcohol, you can use Alk.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, use Alkoholhaltige Getränke, Alkoholische Getränke or Spirituosen (for spirits or hard liquors). In neutral everyday speech, use Alkohol. For informal or casual settings, use Schnaps or the colloquial Alk. The verb saufen is considered vulgar slang.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The neuter form Alkoholisches is used when you are referring to an unspecified alcoholic substance or an 'alcoholic thing'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃnaps/
Did you know?
- The word Alkohol actually shares its distant roots with the word for 'kohl', the dark powder used for eyeliner in Arabic-speaking cultures.
- While saufen is listed as a verb for drinking, it is primarily used for animals in German. Using it for humans implies they are drinking greedily or without restraint.
Examples in context
- Tom ist vom Alkohol losgekommen.Tom is off the booze.This sentence uses Alkohol to show someone has stopped drinking.Tatoeba #2667780 by al_ex_an_der, translation #10059366 by sundown
- Ich habe keinen Alkohol gefunden.I haven't found any booze.This sentence uses Alkohol to describe not finding any alcohol.Tatoeba #8685456 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11311359 by sundown
- Er hat seine Erbschaft sinnlos mit Schnaps und leichten Mädchen durchgebracht.He pissed away his inheritance on booze and loose women.This sentence uses Schnaps to describe spending money on hard liquor.Tatoeba #3107194 by Manfredo, translation #709097 by darinmex
- Könnten Sie bitte einige alkoholhaltige Getränke bringen?Could you please bring some alcoholic beverages?
- Ich hätte gerne eine Auswahl an alkoholischen GetränkenI would like a selection of alcoholic beverages
- Haben Sie eine gute Auswahl an Spirituosen?Do you have a good selection of spirits?
- Lass uns etwas Alkohol kaufenLet's buy some booze
- Lass uns ein paar Schnäpse trinkenLet's have a few shots
- Könnten Sie bitte für die Veranstaltung alkoholfreie Getränke sowie alkoholhaltige Getränke anbieten?Could you please provide non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages for the event?
- Haben Sie eine Empfehlung für einen exquisiten Spirituosenladen in der Nähe?Do you have a recommendation for an exquisite spirits store nearby?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are preparing drinks for a small party.
- LukasHaben wir noch genug Schnaps im Haus?Do we still have enough booze in the house?
- LauraIch glaube, wir müssen mehr kaufen.I think we need to buy more.
- LukasIch hole schnell den Schnaps aus dem Keller.I'll quickly get the booze from the cellar.
- LauraGut, dann decke ich den Tisch.Good, then I'll set the table.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “booze” translations and entries Schnaps, Fusel, Alkohol, Alk, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Alkohol, Fusel, Schnaps, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
