Today’s word is fun to say — and fun to use. The German noun Quatsch means nonsense or rubbish, and it’s a casual, often humorous way to say that something is silly, untrue, or just doesn’t make sense.

Quatsch is a masculine noun, so the correct article is der — der Quatsch. Not sure how to lock in German gender without guessing? Our quick and super-useful 5-minute video will get you sorted.

Real conversations where Quatsch might come up

Quatsch is incredibly common in spoken German. You’ll hear it when someone’s joking, lying, exaggerating, or being dramatic — and it’s a great word to throw in when you're not taking something seriously.

– Ich habe gehört, Aliens leben unter Berlin.
– So ein Quatsch!
(“I heard aliens live under Berlin.” – “What nonsense!”)

Beginner sample dialogue

Nina: Ich hab in fünf Minuten Mathe gelernt.
Tobi: Quatsch! Das glaub ich dir nie.
Nina: Na gut, es waren sechs Minuten.

(Nina: I learned all of math in five minutes.
Tobi: Nonsense! I’ll never believe that.
Nina: Okay fine, it was six minutes.)

Grammar in action: How to use Quatsch

• Nominative: Der Quatsch nervt mich.
  (The nonsense is annoying me.)

• Accusative: Ich glaube diesen Quatsch nicht.
  (I don’t believe this nonsense.)

• Dative: Mit dem Quatsch will ich nichts zu tun haben.
  (I want nothing to do with that nonsense.)

• Genitive: Trotz des ganzen Quatsches habe ich gelacht.
  (Despite all the nonsense, I laughed.)

Want to finally feel confident using these sentence patterns? Our no-fuss grammar course explains how the German case system works in everyday language.

Other ways to say “nonsense” in German

• Blödsinn – silly talk / stupidity (a bit stronger)

• Unsinn – absurdity / nonsense

• Schwachsinn – idiocy (can be offensive)

• Humbug – outdated word for nonsense or deceit

• Blabla – “blah blah” (used in the same way as English)

Expressions:

• So ein Quatsch! – What a load of nonsense!

• Er redet Quatsch. – He’s talking rubbish.

• Mach keinen Quatsch! – Don’t be silly!

• Ich hab nur Quatsch gemacht. – I was just messing around.

Word variations and tidbits

The word Quatsch is believed to come from the German dialect word quatschen, meaning “to babble” or “to talk nonsense.” You’ll hear quatschen used like this:

• Wir haben den ganzen Abend gequatscht. – We chatted all evening.

• Quatsch nicht rum! – Stop babbling / Cut the nonsense!

Interestingly, Quatsch can be playful or a bit sharp depending on your tone. It’s perfect for brushing off conspiracy theories, teasing a friend, or pretending outrage at a silly joke.

You might also hear:

• Kindischer Quatsch – childish nonsense

• Täglicher Quatsch im Internet – daily nonsense on the internet

Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Quatsch

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