It’s what you call someone who’s acting clueless, clumsy, or downright dumb—whether in anger, amusement, or mild disbelief. In German, it’s der Trottel. This is your German Word of the Day, and it’s a biting but common word you’ll hear in jokes, arguments, or sitcoms.

The noun Trottel means fool, idiot, or dope, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s casual and often insulting—but sometimes used playfully, depending on tone.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Trottel (still mixing up der, die, das? Our video lesson makes gender finally make sense).

Pronunciation

Trottel is pronounced [TROH-tel]

• Trot like “trot,” with a short, clear o

• tel like the “tle” in “little”

• Stress on the first syllable: TROttel

Example sentences

• Was für ein Trottel!
  What an idiot!

• Er hat den Schlüssel vergessen? Trottel.
  He forgot the key? What a fool.

• Ich kam mir vor wie der größte Trottel.
  I felt like the biggest idiot.

Nuance and usage tips

⚠️ Trottel is definitely not polite—it’s a mild insult, but still an insult. Tone matters a lot.

You might say it:

• angrily: Du Trottel! – You idiot!

• sarcastically: Na toll, ich bin echt der Trottel hier…

• affectionately: Ach, du Trottel! – Oh, you dope. (said with a smile)

It usually refers to someone being foolish or incompetent, not intentionally mean or cruel.

More casual variants and related words:

• Idiot – idiot (more serious)

• Dummkopf – blockhead, dummy

• Vollpfosten – total idiot (very slangy)

• Hornochse – dumb ox (ruder, old-fashioned but still used)

• Schwachkopf – weak-minded person

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Du bist so ein Trottel manchmal!"
  You’re such a fool sometimes!

• "Ich hab's natürlich gelöscht. Wie ein echter Trottel."
  Of course I deleted it. Like a real idiot.

• "Nur ein Trottel stellt sich da freiwillig hin."
  Only a fool would volunteer for that.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Ben: Ich hab mein Handy im Kühlschrank gefunden.
Tom: Im Kühlschrank?!
Ben: Ja, ich hab es gestern aus Versehen reingelegt.
Tom: Du bist echt ein Trottel.

Translation:
Ben: I found my phone in the fridge.
Tom: In the fridge?!
Ben: Yeah, I accidentally put it in there yesterday.
Tom: You really are a fool.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Trottel hat das Formular falsch ausgefüllt.
The idiot filled out the form wrong.

Accusative:
Ich hab den Trottel gewarnt.
I warned the fool.

Dative:
Sprich nicht mit dem Trottel.
Don’t talk to the idiot.

Genitive:
Das ist das Auto des Trottels.
That’s the idiot’s car.

Word variations and language tidbits

• trottelig – foolish, slow-witted

• Trotteligkeit – clumsiness, stupidity (rare, humorous)

• sich wie ein Trottel fühlen – to feel like an idiot

• Trottelnummer – a dumb stunt or act

• Obertrottel – super fool (emphatic, used for comic exaggeration)

🤦‍♂️ Fun fact: Although Trottel is informal, it’s surprisingly common even in mainstream TV, newspapers, and comedy shows—just don’t use it in formal writing or at a job interview.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Trottel
🎥 Want to stop feeling like a Trottel when speaking German? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 nouns with visuals, grammar tips, and context that actually sticks.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Truppe means? Every group has its Trottel.
And what about Tür? Just hope the Trottel doesn’t slam it.