Sometimes a word is short, punchy, and wildly useful. That’s the case with crap in German — a word you’ll hear in barns, kitchens, classrooms, and comedy shows alike.

The word is der Mist. It’s masculine, and the rarely used plural is die Miste. Want to get a handle on gender fast? My gender video lesson can help you build confidence in no time.

Mist is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it has both literal and figurative uses. Literally, it means “manure” — but in modern spoken German, it's also a mild expletive like “darn,” “crap,” or “ugh.”

Examples in each case:

Nominative:
Der Mist liegt auf dem Feld.
The manure lies on the field.

Accusative:
Ich hasse den Mist, den sie erzählt hat.
I hate the crap she said.

Dative:
Mit dem Mist will ich nichts zu tun haben.
I want nothing to do with that nonsense.

Genitive:
Die Folgen des Mists sind klar.
The consequences of the crap are clear.

Typical meanings and expressions:

• Mist! – Darn it! / Crap!

• So ein Mist! – What a mess! / This sucks!

• Mist bauen – to mess up / screw up

• Mist reden – to talk nonsense

• Mistwetter – crappy weather

Common verbs: bauen, reden, erzählen, verbreiten
Adjectives: dumm, total, unnötig, blöd, peinlich

You’ll also see Mistkerl (literally “manure guy”) as a harmless insult, or Miststück in a more offensive context. But Mist on its own is mild — safe for most situations.

Beginner dialogue using Mist:

A: Hast du deine Hausaufgaben gemacht?
B: Nein, mein Hund hat sie gefressen. Mist!
A: Did you do your homework?
B: No, my dog ate it. Crap!

Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Mist.

“Wann hast du zuletzt ‘Mist!’ gesagt — und warum?”
When did you last say “Crap!” — and why?

Speak your answer aloud and include Mist. It’s a tiny word, but it’s one that adds voice and feeling to your German.

Duden entry for “Mist”

German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say crap in German — and how der Mist lets you talk about actual manure or just express your frustration in a totally safe, native-sounding way.

Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep learning German words that feel real, funny, and fun to use.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Mitte — and get centered with directions, timing, and ideas.
Or revisit Modell — a flexible word used in fashion, science, and design.