This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English
  3. Slang

Verfluchte Grütze!

English translation: Damn! / Rats!

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Verfluchte Grütze!
English translation:Damn! / Rats!
Entered by: Edwin Miles

21:19 Nov 5, 2012
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Slang
German term or phrase: Verfluchte Grütze!
It's a story about a kid, Max, who's 12 years old and finds himself dumped in an old well by two older, bigger bullies in his school. The expression could also be "Verfluchte Krütze!" but I suspect "Krütze" is a misspelling.

Here's some of what leads up to the expression:

Kalle und Ari schnappen sich Max, schleppen ihn in die Tiefen des Brunnens und fesseln ihn dort. Da soll er die Nacht über schmoren. [...] Und Max's Schreie verhallen in der dunklen Nacht. Nicht mal Lisa, die mit ihrer Mutter in der Hausmeisterwohnung der Schule wohnt, hört ihn, weil sie ihre Kopfhörer auf hat und durch ihr Zimmer tanzt. Verfluchte Grütze!

[Then it's the end of the paragraph and moves on to other things, so no help from what comes afterwards.]

"Verfluchte Grütze" is obviously from Max's point of view. He's clearly upset and frustrated and miserable. But I don't know if "Verfluchte Grütze" refers to Lisa here (something along the lines of "silly bimbo," but that's the wrong tone, too disparaging), or to the mess he's in.

Anybody have a suggestion?
Edwin Miles
Germany
Local time: 01:22
Damn! / Rats!
Explanation:
The use of "Grütze" here is to avoid using the more obvious equivalent to the 4-letter word sh*t.
In English you wouldn't really say darn/blasted sh*t. So I'd go for a simple "Damn!" or "Rats! if the audience is 12 year olds.
Selected response from:

BirgitBerlin
Germany
Local time: 01:22
Grading comment
Thanks Birgit, you saved my bacon!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +7Damn! / Rats!
BirgitBerlin


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Damn! / Rats!


Explanation:
The use of "Grütze" here is to avoid using the more obvious equivalent to the 4-letter word sh*t.
In English you wouldn't really say darn/blasted sh*t. So I'd go for a simple "Damn!" or "Rats! if the audience is 12 year olds.

BirgitBerlin
Germany
Local time: 01:22
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks Birgit, you saved my bacon!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Hollywood: very plausible in this context
31 mins
  -> Thank you!
agree  Inge Meinzer
3 hrs
  -> Vielen Dank.
agree  Usch Pilz
6 hrs
  -> Danke.
agree  Ramey Rieger (X): Damn it to hell!, perhaps. Nice one, Birgit.
7 hrs
  -> Thanks - swearing is my speciality, just can't enter it as "field of expertise"! ;-)
agree  Annett Brown, MBA, CT: It depends on your audience. "God damn it" would be totally inappropriate in the U.S. "Rats" would work in the U.S.
10 hrs
  -> Thank you. But I would leave out "god" in any case, even in the UK, because a 12-year-old would never say that...
agree  Lonnie Legg
13 hrs
agree  Charles Milton Ling
107 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search