Given that Germany is so car-crazy, it should come as no surprise that references to cars are in the language as well. Use these phrases to sprice up your German sound like a native speaker.

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Wie ein Auto gucken

Wie ein Auto gucken is a very popular German idiom. Literally translated as “to peer like a car does” is the German equivalent to ‘a blank stare’ and calls to mind the image of a car’s headlights being like staring eyes.

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Abschleppen

Abschleppen literally means “to tow”, but it’s also a slang term for picking someone up in a bar. Compare it to the British English term “to pull” with the same dual meaning.

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Ich bin auf 180!

Ich bin auf 180! Is not an expression you want to hear. Meaning “I’m at 180 (kmph)” it means that someone is absolutely furious.

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Spätzünder

Spätzünder means "late igniter," and is German for "late bloomer".

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Gib gas!

Gib gas! is something you might say to a dawdler. Literally meaning “give it some gas!” it’s a colloquial way of telling someone to hurry up.

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Spassbremse

Do you know someone who is a Spassbremse? In German, this person is a “fun brake” but in English they’d be a “killjoy”.

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