einen Kurzen trinken
To take a shot in German is einen Kurzen trinken.
The phrase means to drink a small amount of strong alcohol quickly. In colloquial settings, you might also hear Auf Ex trinken, which specifically means to drink it all in one go.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from einen Kurzen (a short one) and trinken (to drink), where Kurzer refers to the small size of the shot glass.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
einen Kurzen trinken is a colloquial phrase typically used in social settings such as bars or parties.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Kurzer is masculine. Because it is the object being drunk, it appears in the accusative case as einen Kurzen.
Did you know?
- In Germany, it is common to toast by saying Prost or Zum Wohl. To avoid bad luck, drinkers must maintain eye contact with everyone they clink glasses with.
- While einen Kurzen trinken describes the drink, the phrase Auf Ex trinken comes from the Latin word 'ex', meaning 'out of'. It implies drinking the liquid until the glass is completely empty.
- In some traditional German drinking circles, the phrase auf Ex is accompanied by a gesture where the drinker slams the empty glass upside down on the table to prove it is empty.
Examples in context
- Wir könnten später ein paar Shots trinken.We could have a few shots later.
- Wollen wir einen Kurzen trinken?Do we want to take a shot?
- Nach dem Spiel werden wir einen Kurzen trinken.After the game, we will take a shot.
Example conversation
At a bar during a celebration.
- JuliaJulian, lass uns einen Kurzen trinken!Julian, let's take a shot!
- JulianGute Idee, Julia. Komm schon!Good idea, Julia. Come on!
- JuliaAuf das neue Jahr!To the new year!
- JulianProst!Cheers!
