German · The Compound Machine
arschkalt
ARSH-kalt · /ˈaʁʃ.kalt/
Freezing cold / bloody freezing
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"Arse-cold"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Now the Arsch- prefix as an intensifier: "arschkalt" is brutally cold, and the same trick gives you "arschteuer" (ridiculously expensive) and the crude booster "Arsch" in front of adjectives generally. Between Scheiß-, Arsch- and Sau-, you can intensify almost anything in German. This is how the language really curses — by compounding.
Heard in the wild
Zieh dich warm an, draußen ist es arschkalt.
Wrap up warm, it's bloody freezing out there.
Where it lands
Germany, Austria — universal
Quick answers
- What does "arschkalt" mean?
- In German, "arschkalt" means "Freezing cold / bloody freezing". Literally it's "Arse-cold". Now the Arsch- prefix as an intensifier: "arschkalt" is brutally cold, and the same trick gives you "arschteuer" (ridiculously expensive) and the crude booster "Arsch" in front of adjectives generally. Between Scheiß-, Arsch- and Sau-, you can intensify almost anything in German. This is how the language really curses — by compounding.
- Is "arschkalt" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "arschkalt"?
- Say it "ARSH-kalt" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈaʁʃ.kalt.
Related in German
Scheißwetter SHYSE-vet-ter Miserable, filthy weather sauteuer ZOW-toy-er Ludicrously expensive / a total rip-off price scheißegal SHYSE-eh-gahl Couldn't-care-less / don't give a damn Arschgeige ARSH-guy-guh A useless idiot / a hopeless article Klugscheißer KLOOK-shy-ser Know-it-all / smartass Arschbombe ARSH-bom-buh A cannonball (jumping into a pool bum-first)
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