es interessiert niemanden
The English phrase "nobody cares" can be translated into German as es interessiert niemanden.
This phrase is used to say that no one is interested in a particular topic or piece of information.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "it interests nobody".
Which one should you use?
For example, the colloquial expression Das interessiert keinen Hund implies that a topic is so unimportant that it wouldn't even interest a dog.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be more informal, you can use Es juckt niemanden, which literally means "It doesn't itch anyone." Additionally, Das interessiert keinen Hund is a common colloquial way to say that nobody cares.
Did you know?
- While Das interessiert keinen Hund is common, some German regions substitute the dog for a pig, using the phrase Das interessiert keinen Schwein.
- In modern youth slang, Germans often bypass the translation entirely and use the English phrase 'nobody cares' or the acronym 'nbc'.
- The German word es is a direct cognate of the Yiddish word עס, sharing a common linguistic ancestor.
Examples in context
- Es interessiert niemanden, wie wir das Problem gelöst haben.Nobody cares how we solved the problem.
- Es juckt niemanden, ob wir Pizza oder Burger bestellen!Nobody cares if we order pizza or burgers!
- Es interessiert niemanden, was er sagt.Nobody cares about what he says.
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are discussing a celebrity's social media post.
- LukasHast du das neue Drama gesehen?Did you see the new drama?
- LauraEhrlich gesagt, es interessiert niemanden.To be honest, nobody cares.
- LukasAber es ist doch gerade überall!But it is everywhere right now!
- LauraEs ist einfach langweilig.It is simply boring.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, CC BY-SA 4.0.
