verdammte Scheiße
The English phrase "holy crap" is expressed in German as verdammte Scheiße.
Heilige Scheiße! is a colloquial way to say 'holy crap' in German, which translates to "Holy shit!" verdammte Scheiße is the closest functional equivalent to 'holy crap' in terms of intensity and usage.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "damned shit".
Which one should you use?
If you want to express surprise without using profanity, use Ach du meine Güte instead, which means "Oh my goodness".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
verdammte Scheiße is highly informal and contains a swear word, making it unsuitable for polite or professional settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an exclamation in this specific fixed phrase, the adjective verdammte must end in -e.
Did you know?
- German speakers often use Mist! as a socially acceptable 'clean' alternative to Scheiße, which literally translates to 'manure'.
- In German, you can turn the noun Scheiße into a prefix to intensify an adjective, such as in the word scheißbesoffen, which means 'completely plastered'.
- The word Scheiße shares the same ancient Indo-European root as the English word 'shit', both originating from the Proto-Indo-European root skeyd-, which means 'to part' or 'to separate'.
Examples in context
- Gott im Himmel! Das habe ich noch nie gesehen!God in Heaven! I have never seen that before!
- Heilige Scheiße! Das ist ja der Hammer!Holy shit! That's incredible!
- Verdammte Scheiße, ich habe meinen Schlüssel vergessen!Holy crap, I forgot my keys!
- Verdammte Scheiße, das ist ja riesig!Holy crap, that is huge!
- Oh, verdammte Scheiße, jetzt ist es schon so spät.Oh, holy crap, it is already so late.
Example conversation
Julia and Felix realize they missed their train.
- JuliaVerdammte Scheiße, der Zug ist gerade weg!Holy crap, the train just left!
- FelixWas für ein Pech, Julia.What bad luck, Julia.
- JuliaWir müssen jetzt ein Taxi nehmen.We have to take a taxi now.
- FelixJa, das ist die beste Idee.Yes, that is the best idea.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Scheiße, scheiße, CC BY-SA 4.0.
