gutes Spiel
The English phrase "good game" is translated into German as gutes Spiel.
gutes Spiel is used to express sportsmanship and praise the quality of a match after it has ended.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective gut (good) with the neuter strong inflectional ending -es and the noun Spiel (game).
How does it change in a sentence?
Because Spiel is a neuter noun, the adjective takes the -es ending when used with the indefinite article ein, as seen in the phrase ein gutes Spiel.
When do people say it?
In competitive gaming environments, it is very common to see players use the English terms "Good Game" or "GG" rather than the German gutes Spiel.
Did you know?
- The word Spiel shares an ancient root with the word for 'dance', originating from the Proto-West Germanic word for 'dance' or 'play'.
- The word Spiel can also refer to a 'play' in a theatrical sense, showing how the concept of 'performance' links sports and the arts in German.
- If a game was exceptionally exciting, a German speaker might skip the adjective 'gut' and simply exclaim Was für ein Spiel!, which means 'What a game!'
Examples in context
- Können Sie mir ein gutes Spiel empfehlen?Can you recommend me a good game?This sentence shows how to use gutes Spiel when asking for a recommendation in a formal way.Tatoeba #3749162 by Jens_Odo, translation #13059868 by araneo
- Kannst du mir ein gutes Spiel empfehlen?Can you recommend a good game to me?This sentence shows how to use gutes Spiel when asking for a recommendation in an informal way.Tatoeba #566263 by cost, translation #1345322 by tboronczyk
- Das war ein spannendes Spiel bis zum SchlussThat was an exciting game until the end
- Tolles Match, Leute! Wir haben alle alles gegeben.Great match, guys! We all really gave it our all.
- Gut gespielt! Du hast einen wirklich scharfen Zug gemacht.Well played! You made a really sharp move.
- Geiles Spiel, Leute! Das war echt geil!Awesome game, guys! That was really awesome!
- Das war ein wirklich gutes Spiel.That was a really good game.
Example conversation
Two friends are shaking hands after a tennis match.
- JulianGutes Spiel, Julia!Good game, Julia!
- JuliaDanke, Julian! Du hast toll gespielt.Thanks, Julian! You played great.
- JulianEs war sehr spannend bis zum Ende.It was very exciting until the end.
- JuliaJa, das war ein gutes Spiel.Yes, that was a good game.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Spiel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
