ein Eigentor schießen
To shoot oneself in the foot
직역: ein (an) Eigentor (own goal) schießen (to shoot)
15초 만에
- To accidentally sabotage your own plans or interests.
- Comes from soccer, meaning to score in your own net.
- Used for relatable mistakes that backfire on the person.
뜻
This phrase describes a situation where you accidentally hurt your own interests or plans. It is like trying to help yourself but making things much worse instead.
주요 예문
3 / 6Talking about a friend's dating mistake
Er wollte sie eifersüchtig machen, aber jetzt redet sie nicht mehr mit ihm – ein totales Eigentor!
He wanted to make her jealous, but now she isn't talking to him – a total own goal!
At the office regarding a new policy
Mit dieser neuen Regelung hat sich der Chef ein Eigentor geschossen.
With this new regulation, the boss has shot himself in the foot.
Texting a friend about a gym mistake
Ich wollte früher ins Fitnessstudio, habe aber meinen Schlüssel drinnen vergessen. Eigentor!
I wanted to go to the gym earlier but forgot my key inside. Own goal!
문화적 배경
Since football (soccer) is the unofficial religion of Germany, sports metaphors dominate daily speech. The term became a staple of political and social commentary in the 1960s and 70s. It reflects the German cultural tendency to analyze 'Fehler' (errors) with a mix of logic and dark humor.
The 'Sich' Factor
Adding `sich` (reflexive) makes it sound more personal. `Ich habe mir ein Eigentor geschossen` sounds more like you are taking responsibility than just saying `Das war ein Eigentor`.
Not for Accidents
If you trip and fall, it is not an `Eigentor`. It must be a result of a choice or a 'clever' plan that went wrong.
15초 만에
- To accidentally sabotage your own plans or interests.
- Comes from soccer, meaning to score in your own net.
- Used for relatable mistakes that backfire on the person.
What It Means
Imagine you are playing soccer. You kick the ball hard. You want to score. But you hit the wrong net. That is an Eigentor. In life, it means you made a mistake that backfires. You tried to be clever but failed. Now you are the one suffering from your own action.
How To Use It
You use the verb schießen just like a regular activity. You can say someone hat ein Eigentor geschossen. It works for small mistakes or big career blunders. It is very common in daily German. You do not need to be a sports fan to use it. Everyone understands the feeling of self-sabotage.
When To Use It
Use it when a friend cancels a date to be 'cool' but then feels lonely. Use it in the office when a colleague suggests a new rule that makes their own job harder. It is perfect for texting. Use it when you see someone's plan blow up in their face. It adds a bit of irony to the conversation.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for tragic accidents. If someone gets hurt physically, it is not an Eigentor. That would be rude. Avoid it in very high-level legal documents. It is a bit too colorful for a court of law. Also, do not use it if someone else sabotaged you. This phrase is strictly for self-inflicted damage.
Cultural Background
Germany is a football nation. Soccer metaphors are everywhere in the language. The Eigentor is the ultimate embarrassment on the pitch. Germans value efficiency and planning. Doing something that hurts your own plan is seen as a funny, relatable failure. It has been popular since the early days of televised sports.
Common Variations
You might hear people say Das war ein klassisches Eigentor. This means it was a 'textbook' own goal. Sometimes people just say Eigentor! as a one-word reaction. It is like saying 'Ouch, that backfired!' You can also say sich ein Eigentor schießen to emphasize that you did it to yourself.
사용 참고사항
The phrase is neutral to informal. It is very common in journalism and casual office talk, but avoid it in strictly formal academic writing.
The 'Sich' Factor
Adding `sich` (reflexive) makes it sound more personal. `Ich habe mir ein Eigentor geschossen` sounds more like you are taking responsibility than just saying `Das war ein Eigentor`.
Not for Accidents
If you trip and fall, it is not an `Eigentor`. It must be a result of a choice or a 'clever' plan that went wrong.
The Soccer Connection
Germans love soccer idioms. If you use this, people will think your German is much more natural and 'street-smart' than if you just use the word 'Fehler'.
예시
6Er wollte sie eifersüchtig machen, aber jetzt redet sie nicht mehr mit ihm – ein totales Eigentor!
He wanted to make her jealous, but now she isn't talking to him – a total own goal!
Shows how a strategy backfired completely.
Mit dieser neuen Regelung hat sich der Chef ein Eigentor geschossen.
With this new regulation, the boss has shot himself in the foot.
Professional context but using a common idiom to critique a decision.
Ich wollte früher ins Fitnessstudio, habe aber meinen Schlüssel drinnen vergessen. Eigentor!
I wanted to go to the gym earlier but forgot my key inside. Own goal!
Short, punchy reaction to a personal blunder.
Wir haben zu viel verlangt und den Kunden verloren; da haben wir uns ein Eigentor geschossen.
We asked for too much and lost the client; we really shot ourselves in the foot there.
Expressing regret over a tactical error.
Ich habe nur das erste Kapitel gelernt, aber es kam nur das zweite dran. Klassisches Eigentor.
I only studied the first chapter, but only the second one was on the test. Classic own goal.
Relatable student struggle.
Pass auf, dass du dir mit dieser E-Mail kein Eigentor schießt.
Be careful that you don't shoot yourself in the foot with this email.
Giving advice to prevent self-sabotage.
셀프 테스트
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.
Wenn du ihn jetzt anlügst, ___ du dir nur ein ___.
The verb used with 'Eigentor' is always 'schießen' (to shoot).
Which word fits best in this reaction to a backfired plan?
Das war ein absolutes ___!
An 'Eigentor' is specifically a mistake that hurts the person who made it.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality Spectrum
Slang with close friends.
Eigentor, Digga!
Standard daily conversation.
Das war ein Eigentor.
Business meetings or news.
Die Firma schoss sich ein Eigentor.
When to say 'Eigentor'
Dating
Accidentally liking an ex's photo from 2014.
Work
Replying 'All' to a private complaint.
Shopping
Waiting for a sale but the item sells out.
Arguments
Bringing up a point that proves the other person right.
연습 문제 은행
2 연습 문제Wenn du ihn jetzt anlügst, ___ du dir nur ein ___.
The verb used with 'Eigentor' is always 'schießen' (to shoot).
Das war ein absolutes ___!
An 'Eigentor' is specifically a mistake that hurts the person who made it.
🎉 점수: /2
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문It is a bit informal. Better to say Das war kontraproduktiv unless you are sharing a lighthearted story to show you can laugh at yourself.
Not at all! It is used 90% of the time for non-sports situations like politics, romance, or work.
You use the Perfekt tense: hat geschossen. For example: Er hat sich ein Eigentor geschossen.
People will understand you, but the correct colocation is always schießen. Using machen sounds like a beginner mistake.
They are almost identical in meaning. The German version is just more focused on the sports metaphor.
It can be a bit mocking. If a friend makes a mistake, it is fine. If your boss makes a mistake, maybe keep it to yourself!
No, it is always negative. It implies a failure or a setback caused by your own hand.
Yes, usually you say ein Eigentor. In very short exclamations, you can just shout Eigentor!
The plural is Eigentore, but it is rarely used because usually one big mistake is enough!
Yes, from Hamburg to Munich, everyone knows and uses this soccer-inspired phrase.
관련 표현
ins Fettnäpfchen treten
sich ins eigene Fleisch schneiden
nach hinten losgehen
den Ast absägen, auf dem man sitzt
