Deine Füße stinken
To say "your feet smell" in German, you use Deine Füße stinken.
This phrase is used to tell someone that their feet have an unpleasant odor. While the verb riechen can mean to smell in a general or neutral sense, the verb stinken is specifically used to denote a bad, foul or unpleasant odor.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Deine Füße stinken is composed of Deine (your), Füße (feet) and stinken (to stink or smell bad).
Which one should you use?
Deine Füße stinken is the direct way to state the feet smell bad. In contrast, Deine Füße riechen is a neutral statement, as riechen can simply mean to perceive an odor without specifying if it is good or bad.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bavaria, one can say Dei Fiaß stinken wia a Kässoch'n. to mean "Your feet smell like a cheese bag."
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Deine Füße stinken, the verb stinken is in the third-person plural form to agree with the plural subject Füße.
Did you know?
- In German, the word stinken is so strongly associated with foul odors that it is often used as a metaphor for something being unfair or annoying, such as saying Das stinkt! to mean 'That sucks!'
- In German, you can intensify the phrase by saying Deine Füße stinken bestialisch, using a word that literally means 'beastly'.
- A person with smelly feet might be given the mocking nickname Stinkfuß, which turns the verb and noun into a single compound label.
Examples in context
- Deine Füße stinken wirklich!Your feet really smell!
- Deine Füße stinken wirklich sehr.Your feet smell really bad.
- Oh nein, deine Füße stinken!Oh no, your feet smell!
- Ich glaube, deine Füße stinken nach Schweiß.I think your feet smell like sweat.
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are relaxing at home after a long day.
- MaximilianSarah, deine Füße stinken.Sarah, your feet smell.
- SarahWas? Das kann nicht sein!What? That can't be!
- MaximilianDoch, es riecht sehr stark hier.Yes, it smells very strong here.
- SarahIch gehe schnell duschen.I'll go take a shower quickly.
