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cursing.in curse like a local

German · Frustration & Fed-Up

So ein Mist!

ZOH ine MIST · /zoː aɪn mɪst/

What a load of crap! / Damn it all!

1/5 Grandma-safe

mild, playful; fine on daytime TV

Literally

"Such a manure"

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

How to use it

The safe-for-everyone lament — the printer jams, the shop's shut, "so ein Mist." Lands like "what a pain." Swap in "Scheiße" for the same shape with real bite ("so eine Scheiße") when no children or bosses are present.

Heard in the wild

Geschlossen? So ein Mist, ich brauchte nur Milch.

Closed? What a pain, I just needed milk.

Where it lands

Germany, Austria, Switzerland — universal

Quick answers

What does "So ein Mist!" mean?
In German, "So ein Mist!" means "What a load of crap! / Damn it all!". Literally it's "Such a manure". The safe-for-everyone lament — the printer jams, the shop's shut, "so ein Mist." Lands like "what a pain." Swap in "Scheiße" for the same shape with real bite ("so eine Scheiße") when no children or bosses are present.
Is "So ein Mist!" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
How do you pronounce "So ein Mist!"?
Say it "ZOH ine MIST" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: zoː aɪn mɪst.

Related in German

Mist! MIST Crap! / Rats! — the family-friendly 'damn' Verdammt nochmal! fair-DAMT NOCH-mahl God damn it! / For crying out loud! Verdammte Scheiße! fair-DAM-tuh SHY-suh God-damn shit! / Bloody hell! Herrgott nochmal! HAIR-got NOCH-mahl For God's sake! / Good Lord! Oh Mann! OH MAHN Oh man! / Ugh, come on! Mir reicht's! MEER RYCHTS I've had it! / That's the last straw!

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Tough luck".

how to say "Tough luck" →how to say "Damn" →

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