ich bin böse
The phrase "I am evil" in German is ich bin böse.
This phrase is used to describe oneself as being morally bad or wicked.
Which one should you use?
While ich bin böse describes a general state of being evil, the phrase ich bin böswillig is a more precise formal alternative used to describe a specific malicious intent.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ich bin böse, the adjective böse is used in its predicate position, which means it does not take an ending.
Did you know?
- In a domestic context, a parent might tell a child Du bist böse, which means the child is being 'naughty' rather than truly evil.
- The word böse shares an ancient root with the English word 'boast'. It stems from a concept of being 'puffed up' or 'inflated', originally describing someone whose arrogance made them 'bad'.
- In German, an 'evil' spirit or a 'bad' omen is often described as böse, but a 'bad' smell or a 'bad' movie would use the word schlecht.
Examples in context
- Ich bin böse.I am evil.This sentence is useful for stating that you are evil.Tatoeba #8871384 by mramosch, translation #8871380 by AmarMecheri
- Ich bin böse, wenn ich Schokolade verstecke.I am evil when I hide chocolate.
Example conversation
Two friends are jokingly playing a role-playing game.
- MaximilianIch bin böse in diesem Spiel.I am evil in this game.
- SarahDu bist kein böser Mensch, Maximilian.You are not an evil person, Maximilian.
- MaximilianAber ich bin böse!But I am evil!
- SarahDas ist nur eine Rolle.That is only a role.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bin, böse, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
