German · Emotions & Descriptions
"Bad" in German: schlecht
schlecht
Bad in German is usually schlecht. Say Das ist schlecht or Mir geht's schlecht. Böse can mean angry or naughty, so it is not a simple swap for every English "bad".
About weather
Das Wetter ist heute schlecht.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce schlecht
Say it
shlekht
/ʃlɛçt/
Shlekht. Sch is "sh". The ch after e is a throaty ach-Laut, like a soft scrape. Keep it one syllable.
"Bad" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| schlecht | bad, poorly Default for quality, health, and performance. | Default for quality, health, and performance. |
| Mir geht's schlecht | I feel bad / unwell Health or mood. | Health or mood. |
| schlechte Laune | bad mood Common emotional phrase. | Common emotional phrase. |
| böse | angry; naughty; evil Not always a translation of bad. | Not always a translation of bad. |
| übel | queasy; nasty Often for feeling sick: Mir ist übel. | Often for feeling sick: Mir ist übel. |
How to use schlecht in real life
- 1About weather
Das Wetter ist heute schlecht.
The weather is bad today.
Very common small-talk line.
- 2Feeling unwell
Mir geht's schlecht. Ich bleibe zu Hause.
I feel bad. I'm staying home.
Mir geht's schlecht covers illness and low mood.
- 3Reviewing a film
Der Film war echt schlecht.
The film was really bad.
Echt intensifies in casual speech.
Mistakes English speakers make with schlecht
Incorrect: Ich bin schlecht. (meaning I feel ill)
Correct: Mir geht's schlecht.
Ich bin schlecht can mean I am a bad person or bad at something. For wellbeing use Mir geht's schlecht.
Incorrect: eine schlecht Idee
Correct: eine schlechte Idee
Before Idee add -e: schlechte.
Good to know
Schlecht is blunt but normal. For softer criticism people say nicht so gut or mittelmäßig. Böse is a different word family: a child can be böse (cross), and eine böse Überraschung is a nasty surprise.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Cancelling because you feel unwell
ChatPal
Kommst du noch mit?
Are you still coming along?
You
Leider nein. Mir geht's schlecht.
Unfortunately no. I feel bad.
ChatPal
Oh nein. Schlecht wie erkältet?
Oh no. Bad like a cold?
You
Ja. Heute ist ein schlechter Tag dafür.
Yes. Today is a bad day for that.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Bad" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Bad" in German
What is the difference between schlecht and böse?
Schlecht is bad in quality or health. Böse often means angry, naughty, or evil.
How do you say I feel bad?
Mir geht's schlecht for illness or low mood. For guilt, Es tut mir leid is better.
Does schlecht take endings?
Before nouns yes: schlechtes Essen, ein schlechter Film. After sein it stays schlecht.
How do you say bad luck?
Pech or Viel Pech. Unglück is closer to misfortune.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
