Let’s have some fun with this weird German language!
In this series of posts, I’ll show you how to make your German-speaking colleagues laugh, with ONE simple sentence.
Der Klugscheißer
(The smart shitter)
Do you know Hugo Boss?
Yes, the German designer (den deutschen Designer).
Do you know that he was a German guy? And do you know that Hugo is also a German name (ein deutscher Name)?
Yes, it’s true.
The name Hugo, comes from hug, klug.
Klug means smart in German (auf Deutsch).
Well, not everybody who is called Hugo has to be smart (muss klug sein) :-)
Actually, someone can be even too smart (zu klug).
What do I mean by too smart?
You can be so smart, that you constantly feel the need to show how smart you are to others (anderen gegenüber).
Then we might call you a:
- know-it-all
- smart-arse
- smart ass
And that’s exactly what we mean when we say to someone
- Du bist ein Klugscheißer! (You’re a smart ass!)
Yes, it’s a more colloquial expression, since “Scheiße” means “shit” in German, but we use this expression a lot among friends when someone pretends to know more or to be smarter than others (als andere).
Got it!?
So here’s your action step:
Imagine you’re in a meeting with your boss (mit deinem Chef).
And you come up with this great new idea you have in your mind (in deinem Kopf).
But your German-speaking colleague Karl-Albert interrupts you, as always, telling everyone why your idea won’t work and how he would improve it (und wie er sie verbessern würde).
Approach him slowly and whisper softly in his ear:
- Sei still, du Klugscheißer! (Be quiet, you smart ass!)
And this is what it sounds like: