erschieß ihn
To shoot him in German is erschieß ihn.
This phrase is used to command the killing of a male person using a gun.
Which one should you use?
Schieß ihn is the informal version, while Schießen Sie ihn is the formal version. Knall ihn ab is a colloquial alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun ihn is in the accusative case because it serves as the direct object of the verb.
Did you know?
- The prefix er- in erschieß doesn't just mean 'to shoot' but specifically indicates a result leading to death. Without it, schießen can simply mean the act of firing a weapon.
- In German military history, the command to fire was often Feuer! rather than a phrase like erschieß ihn. Using a full sentence like erschieß ihn is more common in cinema than in actual combat history.
- The colloquial term abknallen is an onomatopoeic construction, meant to mimic the sound of a small gunshot or a sudden 'pop'.
Examples in context
- Erschieß ihn!Shoot him!
- Wenn du kannst, erschieß ihn.If you can, shoot him.
Example conversation
Two characters in an action movie are cornered by a villain.
- LauraEr kommt direkt auf uns zu!He is coming straight towards us!
- FelixIch habe keine Munition mehr.I have no more ammunition.
- LauraNimm meine Waffe und erschieß ihn!Take my gun and shoot him!
- FelixIch werde es tun.I will do it.
