Ich hoffe, du stirbst
The English phrase "I hope you die" is translated into German as Ich hoffe, du stirbst.
This is a hostile expression used to wish for someone's death.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Ich hoffe (I hope), a comma and du stirbst (you die).
How does it change in a sentence?
While the phrase omits the conjunction, adding dass (that) to create Ich hoffe, dass du stirbst is a grammatically standard way to express the same sentiment in a subordinate clause. Additionally, you can use the formal Sie in the form Ich hoffe, Sie sterben.
Did you know?
- If you want to make your curse sound even more dehumanizing, you can replace stirbst with krepierst. The verb krepieren is typically reserved for the messy, agonizing deaths of animals or livestock, making it a much more visceral insult when directed at a person.
- In German, wishing for someone's death using the formal Sie can be more psychologically jarring than using the informal du. The contrast between high social etiquette and extreme hatred creates a cold, detached tone.
- The word du in this hostile phrase is the same pronoun used to express the deepest intimacy with a spouse or a best friend. In German, the distance or closeness of a relationship is baked into the pronoun itself.
Examples in context
- Ich hoffe, du stirbst.I hope you die.This sentence is useful for seeing the phrase Ich hoffe, du stirbst in use.Tatoeba #1546094 by Zaghawa, translation #436715 by lukaszpp
- Ich hoffe, du stirbst endlich!I hope you finally die!
- Du bist schrecklich, ich hoffe, du stirbst.You are terrible, I hope you die.
Example conversation
Two enemies are shouting at each other in a heated argument.
- MaximilianDu hast alles zerstört!You destroyed everything!
- JuliaDas ist mir egal.I don't care.
- MaximilianIch hoffe, du stirbst!I hope you die!
- JuliaDas wünschte ich mir auch für dich.I wish the same for you.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
