Signification
To conquer one's laziness or reluctance to do something difficult.
Contexte culturel
The 'Schweinehund' is so popular that there are plush toys, books, and even statues of this creature. It is a symbol of the 'human' side of the otherwise very disciplined German stereotype. In Switzerland, the phrase is used similarly, but often with a focus on 'Pünktlichkeit' (punctuality) and 'Sauberkeit' (cleanliness). Overcoming the Schweinehund often means doing your recycling or being exactly on time. Austrians use the phrase frequently, but sometimes with a more relaxed, 'gemütlich' attitude. The Schweinehund might win more often in Vienna over a coffee and cake. In business, 'Schweinehund-Management' is a real term used in seminars to talk about employee motivation and overcoming resistance to change.
Use it for empathy
If a friend says they are lazy, say 'Ich kenne das, mein Schweinehund ist auch groß.' It builds rapport.
Don't forget 'innerer'
Without 'innerer', 'Schweinehund' can be a very old-fashioned, harsh insult for a person.
Signification
To conquer one's laziness or reluctance to do something difficult.
Use it for empathy
If a friend says they are lazy, say 'Ich kenne das, mein Schweinehund ist auch groß.' It builds rapport.
Don't forget 'innerer'
Without 'innerer', 'Schweinehund' can be a very old-fashioned, harsh insult for a person.
The 'Schweinehund' is an excuse
Germans often use it to make their laziness sound like a separate entity they can't control—use this to your advantage when making excuses!
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Ich muss heute meinen ______ ______ überwinden.
The full phrase is 'inneren Schweinehund'.
Which verb is used with 'Schweinehund' to mean 'overcome'?
Den Schweinehund...
'Überwinden' is the standard verb for this idiom.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form.
A: Gehst du mit zum Joggen? B: Nein, ich bin zu faul. A: Komm schon, ______ deinen Schweinehund!
This is the imperative (command) form for 'du'.
Match the situation to the use of the idiom.
You finally start your taxes after 3 months of waiting.
Starting a task you've avoided is the perfect context.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesIch muss heute meinen ______ ______ überwinden.
The full phrase is 'inneren Schweinehund'.
Den Schweinehund...
'Überwinden' is the standard verb for this idiom.
A: Gehst du mit zum Joggen? B: Nein, ich bin zu faul. A: Komm schon, ______ deinen Schweinehund!
This is the imperative (command) form for 'du'.
You finally start your taxes after 3 months of waiting.
Starting a task you've avoided is the perfect context.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
6 questionsNo, in the context of 'innerer Schweinehund', it is perfectly polite and used in families, schools, and offices.
Yes, but be careful. Telling someone 'Überwinde deinen Schweinehund!' is encouraging, but calling someone a 'Schweinehund' is an insult.
Die inneren Schweinehunde. (But usually, we only talk about one per person!)
No, it's always masculine: {der|m} Schweinehund.
Yes, though they might use more slang like 'keinen Bock haben', the 'Schweinehund' remains a classic.
Yes! It shows you are self-aware about your motivation and how you handle challenges.
Expressions liées
sich aufraffen
synonymTo pull oneself together to do something.
den Hintern hochkriegen
slangTo get one's butt up.
Disziplin zeigen
similarTo show discipline.
faulenzen
contrastTo be lazy/idle.
etwas vor sich herschieben
builds onTo procrastinate.
