Phrase in 30 Seconds
A casual way to tell someone to relax or stop stressing out using the German-adapted English verb 'chillen'.
- Means: Relax, calm down, or stop being so intense.
- Used in: Casual conversations with friends, siblings, or peers.
- Don't confuse: With 'kühlen' (to cool physically) or using it in formal settings.
توضیح در سطح شما:
معنی
Informal request to relax or calm down.
زمینه فرهنگی
The word 'chillen' has been a staple of 'Jugendsprache' for over 20 years. It represents a move away from traditional German 'Spießigkeit' (stuffy attitudes). In Berlin, 'chillen' is not just a verb but a lifestyle. Many cafes and bars are designed specifically for 'Chillen'. While the workplace is becoming more casual (the 'Du-Kultur'), 'chill mal' is still often too informal for meetings unless you are in a very young startup. On German social media (TikTok, Instagram), 'Chill mal' is often used in comments to mock 'Karen-like' behavior or overreactions.
The 'Doch' Upgrade
Add 'doch' to make it 'Chill doch mal'. It makes you sound much more like a native speaker who is slightly annoyed by someone's stress.
The Boss Rule
Never say this to someone who pays your salary or gives you grades. It's a career-killer.
The 'Doch' Upgrade
Add 'doch' to make it 'Chill doch mal'. It makes you sound much more like a native speaker who is slightly annoyed by someone's stress.
The Boss Rule
Never say this to someone who pays your salary or gives you grades. It's a career-killer.
Regional Variations
In some parts of Bavaria, older people might not understand 'chillen' as well as in Berlin or Hamburg.
خودت رو بسنج
Which response is most appropriate for a friend who is panicking about a small mistake?
A: 'Oh nein, ich habe meinen Stift vergessen!' B: '________'
'Chill mal!' is the perfect casual way to tell a friend not to worry about a small thing like a forgotten pen.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'chillen'.
Gestern haben wir den ganzen Tag im Park ________.
The past participle of 'chillen' is 'gechillt' (following regular German verb rules).
Match the phrase to the correct social context.
1. Chill mal! | 2. Entspannen Sie sich bitte. | 3. Komm mal runter!
'Chill mal' is for light stress, 'Komm mal runter' is for anger, and 'Entspannen Sie sich' is for formal contexts.
Fill in the missing slang particle.
Lukas: 'Ich schaffe das nie!' Sarah: 'Chill ____ mal, Lukas!'
'Chill doch mal' is a very common variation that adds emphasis to the suggestion.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
When to Chill
Good Situations
- • Late bus
- • Lost pen
- • Gaming
- • Weekend
Bad Situations
- • Job interview
- • Funeral
- • Police stop
- • Exam
بانک تمرین
5 تمرینهاA: 'Oh nein, ich habe meinen Stift vergessen!' B: '________'
'Chill mal!' is the perfect casual way to tell a friend not to worry about a small thing like a forgotten pen.
Gestern haben wir den ganzen Tag im Park ________.
The past participle of 'chillen' is 'gechillt' (following regular German verb rules).
1. Chill mal! | 2. Entspannen Sie sich bitte. | 3. Komm mal runter!
'Chill mal' is for light stress, 'Komm mal runter' is for anger, and 'Entspannen Sie sich' is for formal contexts.
Lukas: 'Ich schaffe das nie!' Sarah: 'Chill ____ mal, Lukas!'
'Chill doch mal' is a very common variation that adds emphasis to the suggestion.
🎉 امتیاز: /5
سوالات متداول
4 سوالIt depends on the context. Between friends, it's fine. To a stranger or superior, it's very rude.
Only if you have a very casual relationship with them. Otherwise, it might sound disrespectful.
If you are talking to a group, say 'Chillt mal!'.
Yes, 'das Chillen', but it's mostly used as a gerund.
عبارات مرتبط
Komm mal runter
synonymCalm down / Come down
Entspann dich
similarRelax yourself
Locker bleiben
similarStay loose
Stress machen
contrastTo cause stress
Abhängen
similarTo hang out
کجا استفاده کنیم
Late for a meeting with friends
A: Oh Gott, ich bin fünf Minuten zu spät! Es tut mir so leid!
B: Chill mal, wir haben gerade erst bestellt.
Gaming frustration
A: WIE KONNTEST DU DIESEN SCHUSS VERFEHLEN?!
B: Alter, chill mal dein Leben. Es ist nur ein Spiel.
Exam anxiety
A: Ich werde durchfallen, ich weiß gar nichts!
B: Chill mal, du hast doch die ganze Woche gelernt.
At a party
A: Warum tanzt du nicht?
B: Ich will gerade einfach nur hier auf der Couch chillen.
Sibling rivalry
A: Hör auf, meine Sachen anzufassen!
B: Chill mal, ich wollte sie mir nur kurz anschauen.
Texting/WhatsApp
A: Antwortest du mir jetzt endlich???
B: Chill mal, ich war unter der Dusche.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Think of a 'Chili' pepper that is too hot—you need to 'Chill' it down 'mal' (one time) to eat it.
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a giant ice cube wearing sunglasses sitting on a sofa in the middle of a busy German street. Everyone is rushing, but the ice cube just says 'Chill mal'.
Rhyme
Bist du im Stress und hast keine Wahl? Sag dir einfach: Chill mal!
Story
Lukas was sweating because he lost his {der|m} Schlüssel (key). His friend Sarah handed him an ice-cold {die|f} Limo and said, 'Chill mal'. Lukas took a sip, calmed down, and found the key in his pocket.
In Other Languages
In English, it's 'Chill out'. In Spanish, 'Relájate'. The German version is unique because of the 'mal' particle which adds a rhythmic beat to the phrase.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Next time you feel slightly annoyed by a slow computer or a long line, whisper 'Chill mal' to yourself and take a deep breath.
Review this phrase whenever you see an English loanword in a German text.
تلفظ
Pronounced exactly like the English word 'chill'.
Short 'a' sound, like 'ma' in 'mama' but slightly longer.
طیف رسمیت
Ich möchte Sie bitten, Ruhe zu bewahren. (General advice)
Entspannen Sie sich bitte. (General advice)
Chill mal! (General advice)
Chill mal dein Leben, Brudi. (General advice)
Borrowed from the American English 'to chill out' in the 1990s, likely through hip-hop and skate culture.
نکته جالب
The word 'chillen' was officially added to the Duden (the German 'Oxford Dictionary') in 2004.
نکات فرهنگی
The word 'chillen' has been a staple of 'Jugendsprache' for over 20 years. It represents a move away from traditional German 'Spießigkeit' (stuffy attitudes).
“Youth magazines like 'Bravo' helped popularize the term in the early 2000s.”
In Berlin, 'chillen' is not just a verb but a lifestyle. Many cafes and bars are designed specifically for 'Chillen'.
“A 'Chill-out Area' in a Berlin techno club.”
While the workplace is becoming more casual (the 'Du-Kultur'), 'chill mal' is still often too informal for meetings unless you are in a very young startup.
“Using it in a startup vs. a traditional bank.”
On German social media (TikTok, Instagram), 'Chill mal' is often used in comments to mock 'Karen-like' behavior or overreactions.
“A comment saying 'Chill mal' on a viral video of someone shouting.”
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Was machst du am Wochenende, um mal so richtig zu chillen?
Wann hast du das letzte Mal zu jemandem 'Chill mal' gesagt?
Glaubst du, dass die Deutschen heute mehr chillen als früher?
اشتباهات رایج
Kühl mal!
Chill mal!
L1 Interference
Chill mal, Herr Professor.
Entspannen Sie sich bitte, Herr Professor.
L1 Interference
Ich bin chill.
Ich bin entspannt. / Ich chille.
L1 Interference
Chillst du mal?
Chill mal!
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Relájate / Tranqui
Spanish uses an adjective/adverb ('tranqui') more often than a borrowed verb.
Détends-toi / Chill
French 'chiller' is often used more for 'hanging out' than 'calming down'.
落ち着いて (Ochitsuite)
Japanese is much more formal and polite even in casual settings.
روق (Rawwiq)
The literal root is about 'clarity' rather than 'coldness'.
淡定 (Dàndìng)
It carries a slightly more philosophical/stoic connotation.
진정해 (Jin-jeong-hae)
Korean uses honorifics which change the phrase entirely depending on who you talk to.
Relaxa / Fica frio
Portuguese uses the 'cold' metaphor very similarly to English/German.
Расслабься (Rasslab'sya)
The loanword 'chillit' is almost identical in usage to the German 'chillen'.
Spotted in the Real World
“Und sie fragt: 'Was machst du so?' - 'Ich chill ein bisschen.'”
A famous German rap song about a relaxed lifestyle.
“Chill mal, Chantal!”
The teacher Zeki tells his student Chantal to calm down.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners think it means 'to cool down' emotionally.
Use 'kühlen' for your fridge or an ice pack; use 'chillen' for your mind.
Using 'chillig' as a verb.
'Chillig' is an adjective (a chill place); 'chillen' is the verb.
سوالات متداول (4)
It depends on the context. Between friends, it's fine. To a stranger or superior, it's very rude.
usage contextsOnly if you have a very casual relationship with them. Otherwise, it might sound disrespectful.
cultural usageIf you are talking to a group, say 'Chillt mal!'.
grammar mechanicsYes, 'das Chillen', but it's mostly used as a gerund.
grammar mechanics
