When someone falls short, lets others down, or just can’t seem to get it right, Germans might use the word Versager. But be warned: this isn’t about failing an exam—it’s about being labeled as a failure. And that hits differently.

The noun Versager means failure or loser—as a person, not as a result or outcome. It’s a strong word, often judgmental, and while it does appear in casual speech, it’s not one to throw around lightly. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and understanding it is key to grasping both criticism and cultural ideas about success.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Versager.

Pronunciation

Versager is pronounced [fer-ZAH-ger].

• The “Ver” sounds like “fair,”
• “sag” has a long “ah,” like “father,”
• And the final “er” sounds like a soft “uh” in most German dialects.

It’s a harsh, dismissive-sounding word—exactly the kind of label no one wants to hear.

Example sentences:

• Seine Eltern hielten ihn für einen Versager.
  His parents thought he was a failure.
• Ich bin doch kein Versager!
  I’m not a loser!

Nuance and usage tips

Versager refers specifically to a person who fails, not to an event or act of failing (that would be der Misserfolg for failure, or das Scheitern for the process of failing).

It’s emotionally charged and often carries a sense of shame, rejection, or harsh judgment—think of it as the German equivalent of calling someone a loser or deadbeat.

There are also context-specific uses:

• technischer Versager – a technical failure (e.g., a part or system that breaks down)
• moralischer Versager – a moral failure (e.g., someone who behaves cowardly or dishonorably)

Its most direct antonym is Gewinner (masculine, der Gewinner)—winner.

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Der Versager gab schnell auf.
  The failure gave up quickly.
• Accusative: Sie nannte ihn einen Versager.
  She called him a loser.
• Dative: Mit dem Versager wollte niemand arbeiten.
  No one wanted to work with the failure.
• Genitive: Trotz des Versagers wurde das Projekt fortgesetzt.
  Despite the failure, the project continued.

Masculine pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• versagen – to fail (verb)
  Er hat auf ganzer Linie versagt. – “He failed completely.”
• Versagen – failure (as an abstract noun)
  emotionales Versagen – emotional failure
• Totalversager – total failure (very harsh and informal)
• menschliches Versagen – human error

Cultural tip: The word Versager often appears in insults or bitter commentary. It reflects a cultural value placed on performance and personal responsibility. If you see it in media or fiction, it's often used to intensify conflict or inner shame.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Versager

🎥 Learn Versager and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Ready for two more German words of the day? How about Versuch or Wetter?