etwas ist cool
To say "something is cool" in German, you use etwas ist cool.
It relies on an English loanword that has been integrated into German speech.
Which one should you use?
While etwas ist cool refers to something being trendy or impressive, using kühl (the literal translation of cool) would refer only to temperature.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase etwas ist cool is informal and uses an English loanword common in German youth slang.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using kühl (the literal translation of cool) would refer only to temperature.
Did you know?
- In many parts of Germany, particularly in the north, people might use the word geil to mean 'cool' or 'awesome', though it carries a much more vulgar, sexual connotation in other contexts.
- Despite using the English word cool, a German speaker will still apply German grammar to it. For example, they might create adjectives or compound words using cool that do not exist in English.
- The German word kühl is a 'doublet' of the borrowed word cool, meaning they are both linguistic siblings that evolved from the same ancestral root.
Examples in context
- Das ist wirklich erstklassig.That is truly top-notch.
- Das ist cool.That is cool.
- Ich finde es geil.I think it's awesome.
- Das rockt.That rocks.
- Es ist der Hammer.It's amazing.
- Das ist der Wahnsinn.That is incredible.
- Es ist der Hit.It's a hit.
- Das ist der Knaller.That is awesome.
- Ich finde das richtig geil.I think that's really cool.
- Des is echt schee.That is really nice.
- Des is fein.That is fine.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cool, etwas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
