ich bringe dich um
The English phrase "I will kill you" is translated into German as ich bringe dich um.
This phrase is a threat used to tell someone that you intend to end their life.
Which one should you use?
While ich bringe dich um is often used to express a future threat in the present tense, the grammatically precise future tense uses the auxiliary verb werden, as in Ich werde dich umbringen.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the object from "you" to "him", replace dich with ihn, forming ich bringe ihn um.
Did you know?
- While 'kill' is the core meaning, the literal word-for-word translation of umbringen is closer to 'to bring around' or 'to turn over'.
- The verb in ich bringe dich um is a separable verb, where the prefix um moves to the end of the sentence. This means in a longer sentence, the word 'kill' is physically split apart.
- The prefix um in this phrase descends from the Old High German word umbi, which originally described movement in a circle or surrounding an object.
Examples in context
- Glaub mir, ich bringe dich um.Believe me, I will kill you.
Example conversation
A tense argument between a man and a woman in a dark alley.
- JulianDu hast alles zerstört.You destroyed everything.
- SarahBeruhige dich bitte, Julian.Please calm down, Julian.
- JulianNein, ich bringe dich um!No, I will kill you!
- SarahDu machst das nicht.You won't do that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, ich, um, CC BY-SA 4.0.
