du Schwein
/duː ʃvaɪ̯n/word by word
The English phrase 'you pig' is translated into German as du Schwein.
This phrase is used to address a single person as a 'pig'.
Which one should you use?
While du Schwein is used to address one person, if you are addressing a group of people, you must use the plural form ihr Schweine.
How do you pronounce it?
/duː ʃvaɪ̯n/
Did you know?
- While du Schwein is an insult, the phrase Schwein haben means to be very lucky.
- While calling someone a 'pig' in English is almost always an insult, calling someone a Schwein in German can sometimes be used among close friends as a playful or even admiring term for someone who is impressively lucky or daring.
- The word du is a cognate of the old English pronoun 'thou'.
Examples in context
- Du Schwein!You pig!This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase du Schwein.Tatoeba #8647431 by Melang, translation #3995165 by Hybrid
- Du hast schon wieder mein Hemd verschmutzt, du Drecksau!You've dirtied my shirt again, you pig!
- Du Schwein, das hast du doch absichtlich gemacht!You pig, you did that on purpose!
- Na, du Schwein, hast du das ganze Paket allein gegessen?Well, you pig, did you eat the whole package by yourself?
Example conversation
Maximilian has left a huge mess in the kitchen.
- MaximilianIch habe keine Zeit zum Abwaschen.I don't have time to do the dishes.
- SarahWas? Du Schwein, mach das sofort sauber!What? You pig, clean that up immediately!
- MaximilianSei nicht so streng mit mir, Sarah.Don't be so hard on me, Sarah.
- SarahEs ist einfach viel zu dreckig hier.It is simply much too dirty here.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (du, Schwein) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schwein, du, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
