kacken gehen
/ˈkakən ˈɡeːən/word by word
The English phrase "go poop" is translated into German as kacken gehen.
kacken gehen is an informal or childish way to say that one needs to defecate.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb kacken (to poop) and gehen (to go).
Which one should you use?
The verb kacken is more vulgar and direct than more polite options like groß machen or the medical term Stuhlgang haben.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal and indirect way to say "to use the toilet", you can use Die Toilette benutzen. If you need a formal, medical or polite way to express the action of performing a bowel movement, use Stuhlgang verrichten.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bavarian dialect, auf's G'schäft gehen is used to mean "to go to the bathroom".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkakən ˈɡeːən/
Did you know?
- The word kacken is a direct loanword from the Latin cacāre, meaning 'to defecate'.
- The formal German term Stuhlgang literally translates to 'chair walk' or 'chair gait'.
- The medical expression Stuhlgang verrichten uses the verb verrichten, which is typically used for official duties or professional work.
Examples in context
- Ich muss mal kurz kacken gehen.I need to go poop quickly.
- Kann das Kind mal kacken gehen?Does the child need to go poop?
- Er will unbedingt kacken gehen.He really wants to go poop.
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are at home together.
- LukasSarah, ich muss schnell kacken gehen.Sarah, I have to go poop quickly.
- SarahGeh nur, ich warte hier auf dich.Go ahead, I'll wait for you here.
- LukasIch bin in zwei Minuten wieder da.I'll be back in two minutes.
- SarahAlles klar, Lukas.All right, Lukas.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (kacken, gehen) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gehen, kacken, CC BY-SA 4.0.
