Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mobber | masculine | |
| Bully | masculine | |
| Tyrann | [tyˈʁan] (narrow) | masculine |
| Schikaneur | masculine |
A bully is a person who is intentionally cruel to others. In German, the term used depends on the specific nature of the behavior. You can use the noun Mobbing to describe the act of bullying itself. If you want to describe someone acting aggressively towards another, you might use verbs such as tyrannisieren, drangsalieren or kujonieren. To describe someone who intimidates others, you can use einschüchtern, schikanieren or kujonieren.
Which one should you use?
Mobber is a colloquial term specifically used for someone engaging in bullying, especially in social or school contexts. Bully is an anglicism used in German, but Mobber is more common. Tyrann is used for a bully who exerts absolute, oppressive power, implying a more systemic or authoritative form of cruelty. Schikaneur refers specifically to someone who bullies through petty, repetitive and systematic harassment.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word Mobber is a masculine noun. In the nominative plural, the form remains unchanged and is also Mobber.
Did you know?
- The verb kujonieren is a rare, sophisticated term for bullying that comes from the French word cogner, meaning 'to hit'.
- The word Tyrann shares its roots with the Ancient Greek word τύραννος, which originally referred to a ruler who seized power through unconstitutional means.
- The German term Mobber is derived from the English word 'mob', but in German, it specifically describes the systematic psychological harassment of a victim rather than the act of a large, angry crowd.
Examples in context
- Pietro findet, dass Walid ein Mobber ist.Pietro thinks that Walid is a bully.This sentence demonstrates how to identify a person as a Mobber.Tatoeba #13705526 by Vortarulo, translation #11715013 by Amastan
- Er/sie verhält sich wie ein Mobber.He/she behaves like a bully.
- Hast du den Mobber in der Schule gesehen?Did you see the bully at school?
- Der Mobber in der Schule ist sehr fies.The bully at school is very mean.
- Ich möchte nicht wie ein Mobber sein.I do not want to be like a bully.
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are talking about a boy in their class.
- SarahHast du gesehen, wie Lukas die Kinder ärgert?Did you see how Lukas teases the children?
- FelixJa, er verhält sich wie ein richtiger Mobber.Yes, he behaves like a real bully.
- SarahDas ist wirklich nicht nett von ihm.That is really not nice of him.
- FelixWir sollten dem Lehrer davon berichten.We should report that to the teacher.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bully” translations and entries Mobber, Bully, Tyrann, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bully, Mobber, Tyrann, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
