Dings
/dɪŋs/
The German word for "dingus" is Dings.
Dings is used as a placeholder when a speaker forgets or does not know the specific name of an object, functioning similarly to the English words "thingy", "whatsit", "thingamajig" or "whatchamacallit".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using Dings to refer to an object is informal and common in spoken German.
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard singular noun for "thing" is Ding, but Dings is the colloquial form used as a placeholder. In colloquial speech, Dings can also function as a plural placeholder for multiple unknown objects.
How do you pronounce it?
/dɪŋs/
Did you know?
- In spoken German, Dings can be used as a placeholder for a person whose name has been forgotten. For example, someone might refer to a colleague as der Dings, treating the person as an object of a forgotten name.
- To add a playful or rhythmic quality to a sentence, Germans often use extended variations like Dingsbums or Dingsda instead of the simple Dings.
- Unlike the English 'thingy', which usually refers to physical objects, Dings can be used to describe abstract concepts, situations, or even complex arrangements in a conversation.
Examples in context
- Was ist das für ein Dings?What kind of thing is that?
- Reich mir mal das Dings da.Pass me that thing over there.
- Ich habe dieses Dings verloren.I lost that thing.
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian are looking for a tool in the kitchen.
- SarahHast du das Dings gesehen?Have you seen the thingy?
- MaximilianWelches Dings meinst du, Sarah?Which thingy do you mean, Sarah?
- SarahDas Dings zum Öffnen von Dosen.The thingy for opening cans.
- MaximilianAch, du meinst den Dosenöffner!Oh, you mean the can opener!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Dings, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
