Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| betrunken | /bəˈtʁʊŋkŋ̩/ /bəˈtʁʊŋkən/ |
|
| besoffen | /bəˈzɔfən/ | |
| fett | /fɛt/ | Austria, informal |
These terms are used to describe the state of being intoxicated after consuming too much alcohol. While betrunken is the standard adjective, you may encounter various other forms depending on the level of intensity and the social setting.
Which one should you use?
betrunken is the neutral, standard adjective for someone who is intoxicated. In contrast, besoffen is a more vulgar or highly informal way to express being drunk. The term fett is a colloquialism that conveys a similar meaning to being hammered or heavily drunk. Note that while these are adjectives describing a state, the noun Säufer is a pejorative term used to describe a heavy-drinking person or a drunkard.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
betrunken is the neutral choice suitable for most situations. If you need to describe the state of intoxication in a formal context, you can use the noun Betrunkenheit. Besoffen is highly informal and can be considered vulgar, while fett is also informal and colloquial.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, fett is commonly used as a colloquial term for being drunk. In parts of Southern Germany, such as Bavaria, the slang term blau is used to describe being intoxicated.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective betrunken follows standard German adjective declension when it is placed directly before a noun, for example, ein betrunkener Mann (a drunk man).
How do you pronounce it?
/bəˈtʁʊŋkŋ̩/
Did you know?
- The colloquial use of fett to mean drunk may be a modern calque of the English slang 'phat' influenced by hip-hop culture.
Examples in context
- Er ist zu betrunken.He's too drunk.This sentence shows how to use betrunken to say someone is too drunk.Tatoeba #8496558 by Luiaard, translation #1994500 by Spamster
- Ich bin zu betrunken.I'm too drunk.This sentence shows how to use betrunken to say you are too drunk.Tatoeba #2551698 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1994499 by Spamster
- Ich war zu betrunken.I was too drunk.This sentence shows how to use betrunken in the past tense to say you were too drunk.Tatoeba #3386464 by Manfredo, translation #2549546 by CK
- Er war gestern Abend völlig im Rausch.He was completely drunk last night.
- Aufgrund seiner Betrunkenheit konnte er nicht vernünftig sprechen.Due to his intoxication, he couldn't speak properly.
- Wir haben gestern Abend so viel getrunken, dass wir am Ende alle besoffen waren.We drank so much last night that we all ended up drunk.
- Ich war gestern auf der Party total voll.I was completely drunk at the party last night.
- 398 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are at a party.
- MaximilianIst der Mann dort betrunken?Is that man over there drunk?
- HannahJa, er tanzt sehr lustig.Yes, he is dancing very funny.
- MaximilianIch glaube, ich bin auch schon betrunken.I think I am drunk too.
- HannahDann trink jetzt lieber ein Wasser.Then you should rather drink a water now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drunk” translations and entries betrunken, besoffen, fett, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries besoffen, fett, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
