German · Emotions & Descriptions
"Rude" in German: unhöflich
unhöflich
Rude in German is unhöflich. You can say Das war unhöflich or Er wirkt unhöflich. Frech is ruder in a cheeky way; grob is rough or blunt.
After a curt reply
Dein Ton war echt unhöflich.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce unhöflich
Say it
oon-HØF-likh
/ˈʊnhøːflɪç/
oon-HØF-likh. The ö is like e in her with rounded lips. Soft ch at the end.
"Rude" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| unhöflich | rude / impolite Default adjective for rude manners. | Default adjective for rude manners. |
| unhöfliches Verhalten | rude behavior Naming the behavior itself. | Naming the behavior itself. |
| frech | cheeky / rude Often toward kids or playful insults. | Often toward kids or playful insults. |
| grob | rough / blunt Tone or wording that feels harsh. | Tone or wording that feels harsh. |
How to use unhöflich in real life
- 1After a curt reply
Dein Ton war echt unhöflich.
Your tone was really rude.
Direct feedback with du.
- 2Customer service
Der Mitarbeiter klang unhöflich am Telefon.
The employee sounded rude on the phone.
Unhöflich after the verb.
- 3Parent talk
Unterbrich mich nicht, das ist unhöflich.
Don't interrupt me, that's rude.
Teaching manners.
Mistakes English speakers make with unhöflich
Incorrect: Er ist rude.
Correct: Er ist unhöflich.
Use unhöflich, not the English word rude.
Incorrect: unhöfliche Mann
Correct: unhöflicher Mann
Masculine nominative needs -er: unhöflicher.
Good to know
Germans value clear directness, but skipping please/thank-you in shops or cutting someone off still reads as unhöflich. Soften feedback with etwas or ein bisschen if you want to stay polite.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Debriefing a tense meeting
ChatPal
Fandest du seinen Kommentar unhöflich?
Did you find his comment rude?
You
Ja, ziemlich unhöflich vor der ganzen Gruppe.
Yes, pretty rude in front of the whole group.
ChatPal
Willst du das ansprechen?
Do you want to bring it up?
You
Später. Jetzt brauche ich erst Abstand.
Later. I need distance first.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Rude" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Rude" in German
How do you say rude?
Unhöflich.
Rude behavior?
Unhöfliches Verhalten.
Frech or unhöflich?
Frech is cheeky; unhöflich is plain impolite.
How do you soften it?
Say etwas unhöflich or klang unhöflich.
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
