'Das crazy' has been voted German Youth Word of the Year 2025

Published on 20/10/2025 - 9:36 GMT+2

Previously, Germans wishing to definitive that they were amazed astatine nan insanity aliases absurdity of thing would say: “Das ist verrückt."

But young Germans person a amended option, “Das crazy,” which bypasses nan grammatically correct building construction by waving Auf Wiedersehen to nan “ist”.

Now, “Das crazy” has been voted this year’s Youth Word of nan Year, announced astatine nan Frankfurt Book Fair by nan Langenscheidt Verlag publishing house, which organizes nan ballot each year. The word was selected done an online ballot unfastened to young group aged 11 to 20, pinch 2 cardinal group taking portion this year.

According to nan publisher, “Das crazy” is an "all-purpose weapon", typically utilized erstwhile personification doesn’t cognize what to say, doesn’t consciousness for illustration responding, aliases simply wants to stay polite to support nan speech going.

“Das crazy” took first spot pinch 35.7% of nan votes, conscionable up of "goonen" and "checkst du."

"Goonen" is simply a slang word for prolonged masturbation aliases excessive pornography consumption. In a statement, nan Langenscheidt committee said it wanted to beryllium transparent astir intersexual terms, but besides warned that excessive self-gratification tin lead to dopamine addiction and lead to unhealthy expectations erstwhile it comes to sexuality.

As for "checkst du" (literally: "Do you check?"), it’s a variety connected "Do you understand?" - utilized astatine nan extremity of nan condemnation to make judge that nan different personification is still connected board.

Langenscheidt noted that nan results item nan beardown power of nan English connection and nan inclination toward linguistic simplification. They besides seizure nan power of net civilization connected languages, arsenic “Das crazy” tin beryllium recovered everyplace connected societal media platforms.

Moreover, it tin besides item that nan world isn’t getting immoderate saner astatine nan moment, meaning that caller ways of expressing madness are not only useful but depressingly necessary.

The Youth Word of nan Year title has been going connected since 2008 and was only handed complete to German youngsters 5 years ago. Prior to that, anybody could vote. In 2020, nan ballot was handed complete exclusively to those aged betwixt 11 and 20, ensuring that nan year’s chosen connection genuinely reflects youthful connection culture.

Last year, nan connection “Aura” won Youth Word of nan Year. Commonly utilized to picture a person’s charisma, it succeeded “goofy” successful 2023, which referenced nan clumsy Disney characteristic to picture personification eccentric aliases awkward. 2022 had “smash” (picking personification up aliases having activity pinch someone, stemming from nan making love crippled “Smash aliases Pass”); 2021’s youthful triumphant was “cringe” (a descriptive to mention to thing aliases personification arsenic embarrassing); and “lost” was 2020’s winner, referring to a deficiency of guidance aliases perspective.