Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| unhöflich | /ˈʔʊnhøːflɪç/ |
| grob | /ɡʁoːp/ (standard) /ɡʁɔp/ |
| frech | /fʁɛç/ |
| unverschämt | /ˈʔʊnfɛɐ̯ˌʃɛːmt/ /-ˌʃeːmt/ |
| garstig | /ˈɡaʁstɪç/ (Germany) /ˈɡaʁstɪk/ (Austria, Southern Germany) |
German uses different words for rude depending on whether the behavior is a lack of social etiquette, a physical coarseness, a cheeky attitude or a mean-spiritedness.
What does it mean word for word?
The word unhöflich is composed of the prefix un- (not) and höflich (polite).
Which one should you use?
unhöflich is the most direct equivalent to the English "rude" and refers to a lack of manners or social etiquette. In contrast, grob describes rudeness that is physical, blunt or lacks refinement, such as being crude or rough. The word frech describes a type of rudeness that is often cheeky, sassy or impudent, which is typical of children or young people. For a much stronger sense of rudeness, use unverschämt, which implies that a person is being brazenly impudent or shameless. Finally, garstig is used when someone is being rude in a mean-spirited, nasty or spiteful way.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔʊnhøːflɪç/
Did you know?
- The adjective frech is often used as a compliment for children who are being 'spirited' or 'bold', whereas in English, calling a child 'rude' is almost always a criticism.
- The word unverschämt actually contains the word for 'shy' or 'bashful'. It literally describes someone who is 'not shy', implying they have no sense of shame or embarrassment in their insolence.
- The word unverschämt can be used to describe a 'shameless' action, such as an 'unverschämt hohe Rechnung', which means an 'outrageously high bill'.
Examples in context
- Er ist sehr frech.He's very rude.This sentence shows how to use frech to describe someone being cheeky.Tatoeba #2157557 by freddy1, translation #2156265 by CN
- Du bist so unhöflich!You're so rude!This sentence demonstrates using unhöflich to express that someone is being rude.Tatoeba #2122140 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1738310 by Shadd
- Tom ist so unhöflich.Tom is very rude.This sentence shows the use of unhöflich to describe a person's rude behavior.Tatoeba #8290847 by Luiaard, translation #2273606 by CK
- Die Art und Weise, wie er mit anderen spricht, ist einfach grob.The way he speaks to others is simply rude.
- Es war sehr unhöflich, dass er nicht danke gesagt hat.It was very rude of him not to say thank you.
- Er hat mich frech angelogen.He rudely lied to me.
- Das ist wirklich unverschämt, wie er sich benimmt.It is really rude how he behaves.
- 163 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Felix are talking about a waiter at a restaurant.
- HannahDer Kellner war heute wirklich sehr unhöflich.The waiter was really very rude today.
- FelixJa, er hat uns kaum gegrüßt.Yes, he hardly greeted us.
- HannahIch finde sein Verhalten extrem unhöflich.I find his behavior extremely rude.
- FelixDas stimmt, wir sollten hier nicht mehr essen.That's true, we shouldn't eat here anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rude” translations and entries unhöflich, grob, frech, unverschämt, garstig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries frech, grob, unhöflich, unverschämt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
