ich habe gelogen
In German, "I lied" is expressed as ich habe gelogen.
This phrase is used to admit that one has told an untruth.
What does it mean word for word?
The word gelogen is the past participle of the verb lügen, which means "to lie" (to tell an untruth).
Which one should you use?
While ich habe gelogen is the standard way to express this in spoken German, the form ich log is more common in written literature or formal storytelling.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ich log is the simple past tense (Präteritum).
Did you know?
- The verb lügen has a dangerous twin, liegen, which means 'to lie down'. A slight change in the vowel sound can turn a confession of dishonesty into a statement about resting on a sofa.
- In German, calling someone a Lügner (liar) is considered a very strong and harsh personal attack, far more aggressive than the English 'liar' is in many casual contexts.
- While ich habe gelogen is a direct admission, Germans often use the phrase nicht die Wahrheit sagen (not telling the truth) to soften the blow of a lie.
Examples in context
- Gut, ich habe gelogen.Okay, I lied.Tatoeba #2967213 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2948334 by Hybrid
- Wie ich zu meiner Schande gestehen muss, ich habe gelogen.As I must confess to my shame, I lied.Tatoeba #2170463 by freddy1, translation #2170937 by freddy1
- Ich habe gelogen.I lied.Tatoeba #3235040 by Manfredo, translation #3935374 by gianich73
- Weißt du, ich habe gelogen. Es tut mir leid.You know, I lied. I'm sorry.
- Leider habe ich falsche Angaben gemacht. Das war ein Fehler, für den ich die Verantwortung übernehme.Unfortunately, I made false statements. It was a mistake, for which I take responsibility.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian confesses to Hannah that he forgot their anniversary.
- MaximilianEs tut mir leid, Hannah, ich habe gelogen.I am sorry, Hannah, I lied.
- HannahWarum hast du das getan?Why did you do that?
- MaximilianIch hatte Angst vor deiner Reaktion.I was afraid of your reaction.
- HannahEhrlichkeit ist mir viel wichtiger.Honesty is much more important to me.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
