German · Emotions & Descriptions
"Stupid" in German: dumm
dumm
Stupid in German is dumm. Say Das war dumm about a mistake. Calling a person dumm can sound harsh — soften with nicht so schlau or blöd.
Self-critique
Das war dumm von mir.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce dumm
Say it
doom
/dʊm/
doom. Short u like book. Final m.
"Stupid" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| dumm | stupid Core adjective. | Core adjective. |
| dumme / dummer / dummes | stupid (inflected) Before nouns. | Before nouns. |
| Das war dumm | that was stupid About an action. | About an action. |
| sich dumm anstellen | to act clueless Idiom. | Idiom. |
How to use dumm in real life
- 1Self-critique
Das war dumm von mir.
That was stupid of me.
Dumm von mir.
- 2Forgot keys
Wie dumm — die Schlüssel liegen im Auto.
How stupid — the keys are in the car.
Wie dumm.
- 3Mild warning
Stell dich nicht so dumm an.
Don't act so clueless.
Dumm in idiom.
Mistakes English speakers make with dumm
Incorrect: Du bist stupid
Correct: Das war dumm. / Das war blöd.
Prefer dumm/blöd; avoid English stupid.
Incorrect: eine dumm Idee
Correct: eine dumme Idee
Feminine ending: dumme.
Good to know
Dumm hits harder about people than about situations. Germans often say Das war blöd or doof for softer self-talk. With strangers, skip personal insults.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Laughing off a small mistake
ChatPal
Warum stehst du vor der falschen Tür?
Why are you standing at the wrong door?
You
Dumm. Ich hab die Nummer falsch gelesen.
Stupid. I misread the number.
ChatPal
Passiert. Nicht so dumm, nur hektisch.
Happens. Not that stupid, just rushed.
You
Okay. Nächstes Mal weniger dumm hetzen.
Okay. Next time less stupid rushing.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Stupid" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Stupid" in German
How do you say stupid?
Dumm.
Softer option?
Blöd or doof for mild situations.
That was stupid of me?
Das war dumm von mir.
Before a noun?
Dumme / dummer / dummes.
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
