German · The Compound Machine
Scheißkerl
SHYSE-kairl · /ˈʃaɪs.kɛʁl/
Bastard / rotten swine
3/5 Watch your audience
genuinely rude; friends only, never at work
Literally
"Shit-guy / shit-fellow"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Scheiß- applied to a person: "Kerl" is a guy/bloke, and the prefix turns him into a contemptible one. A step up from calling someone "ein Arsch." Aimed at a genuine villain — the boss who fired your friend, the ex who lied. The female equivalent draws on other words; "Scheißkerl" is specifically male.
Heard in the wild
Er hat sie einfach sitzen lassen, dieser Scheißkerl.
He just walked out on her, that bastard.
Where it lands
Germany, Austria — universal
Quick answers
- What does "Scheißkerl" mean?
- In German, "Scheißkerl" means "Bastard / rotten swine". Literally it's "Shit-guy / shit-fellow". Scheiß- applied to a person: "Kerl" is a guy/bloke, and the prefix turns him into a contemptible one. A step up from calling someone "ein Arsch." Aimed at a genuine villain — the boss who fired your friend, the ex who lied. The female equivalent draws on other words; "Scheißkerl" is specifically male.
- Is "Scheißkerl" offensive?
- It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
- How do you pronounce "Scheißkerl"?
- Say it "SHYSE-kairl" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈʃaɪs.kɛʁl.
Related in German
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