geil
/ɡaɪ̯l/
geil is a German word meaning cool, awesome or great.
In modern colloquial German, geil is frequently used to describe something impressive or enjoyable, functioning similarly to the English words cool or awesome.
Which one should you use?
While geil is used by younger people as a synonym for cool, it is a much more slangy term than the standard word toll, which means great.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
geil is considered slang. Because of its sexual origins, using it in professional or formal settings is inappropriate and unprofessional. For more formal alternatives, you can use aufregend (exciting or thrilling), faszinierend (fascinating) or spannend (exciting or suspenseful).
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡaɪ̯l/
Did you know?
- While you might use it to mean 'awesome', describing a person as geil is not a compliment like 'cool' is. It is a direct statement that the person is sexually aroused or highly provocative.
- The word geil originally described something frothing or foaming, like the bubbles on a wave or the lather on a horse's mouth.
- The semantic shift of geil in the late 20th century mirrors the evolution of the English word 'wicked'. In both languages, a word once used to describe something negative or aggressive was reclaimed to mean something excellent.
Examples in context
- Das neue Auto ist echt geil.The new car is really cool.
- Die Party gestern war total geil.The party yesterday was totally awesome.
- Das ist ja ein geiler Song!That is such a cool song!
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are listening to a new album in a car.
- LukasHast du den neuen Song gehört?Have you heard the new song?
- SarahJa, der ist richtig geil!Yes, it is really cool!
- LukasIch finde das Album auch geil.I think the album is cool too.
- SarahStimmt, Lukas, das ist echt gut.True, Lukas, it is really good.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry geil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries geil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
