fahr zur Hölle
The English phrase "burn in hell" is expressed in German as fahr zur Hölle.
This phrase is an angry expression used to tell someone to go away or to express a desire for them to suffer.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fahr zur Hölle literally means "drive/go to hell".
Which one should you use?
While brenne in der Hölle is the literal translation of "burn in hell", it is much less common as a standard idiom than the idiomatic fahr zur Hölle, which means "go to hell".
Did you know?
- The word Hölle is used as an intensifier in colloquial German, such as die Hölle Angst, meaning 'terrified' or 'scared to death'.
- The word Hölle shares a deep linguistic root with the English word 'hell', both tracing back to an ancient Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to cover or conceal'.
- In German, the word Hölle is also used in the slang phrase die Hölle los sein, which describes a place that is incredibly chaotic or wildly crowded.
Examples in context
- Fahr zur Hölle!Go to hell!
- Du bist ein Lügner, fahr zur Hölle!You are a liar, go to hell!
- Ich will dich nie wieder sehen, fahr zur Hölle!I never want to see you again, go to hell!
Example conversation
Lukas has just betrayed Hannah's trust in a heated argument.
- HannahWie konntest du mich nur so hintergehen?How could you betray me like that?
- LukasEs tut mir leid, aber ich konnte nicht anders.I am sorry, but I had no choice.
- HannahLass mich in Ruhe und fahr zur Hölle!Leave me alone and go to hell!
- LukasNa gut, wenn du das so willst.Fine, if that is how you want it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hölle, zur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
