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German · The Compound Machine

scheißegal

SHYSE-eh-gahl · /ˈʃaɪs.ʔeˌɡaːl/

Couldn't-care-less / don't give a damn

2/5 Bar-safe

coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances

Literally

"Shit-equal / shit-all-the-same"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

Exhibit A in the German compound machine: take "egal" (all the same / doesn't matter), weld "Scheiß-" to the front, and you get maximal indifference. "Das ist mir scheißegal" = I could not care less. This is the pattern to internalise — Scheiß- bolts onto almost any noun or adjective to mean "damn/bloody." Softer: "völlig egal."

Heard in the wild

Was die anderen denken, ist mir scheißegal.

What the others think, I couldn't care less.

Where it lands

Germany, Austria — universal

Quick answers

What does "scheißegal" mean?
In German, "scheißegal" means "Couldn't-care-less / don't give a damn". Literally it's "Shit-equal / shit-all-the-same". Exhibit A in the German compound machine: take "egal" (all the same / doesn't matter), weld "Scheiß-" to the front, and you get maximal indifference. "Das ist mir scheißegal" = I could not care less. This is the pattern to internalise — Scheiß- bolts onto almost any noun or adjective to mean "damn/bloody." Softer: "völlig egal."
Is "scheißegal" 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 "scheißegal"?
Say it "SHYSE-eh-gahl" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈʃaɪs.ʔeˌɡaːl.

Related in German

Mist! MIST Crap! / Rats! — the family-friendly 'damn' Oh Mann! OH MAHN Oh man! / Ugh, come on! So ein Mist! ZOH ine MIST What a load of crap! / Damn it all! Mir reicht's! MEER RYCHTS I've had it! / That's the last straw! Am Arsch! am ARSH Screwed / done for / knackered Scheiß drauf! SHYSE DROWF Screw it! / To hell with it!

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Calm down".

how to say "Calm down" →

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