Meaning
To harm oneself or one's own cause through one's actions.
Cultural Background
Football is the 'König Fußball' (King Football) in Germany. Metaphors from the game are used by everyone from grandmothers to CEOs. Knowing these makes you sound like a local. Austrians use the term similarly, though they might use more 'Wiener Schmäh' (Viennese humor) to mock someone who shot an own goal. In Swiss German, the concept is the same, but the pronunciation of 'Eigentor' and 'schiesse' will vary significantly in dialect. Journalists love this phrase for headlines because it is punchy and visual. It's often used to describe failed diplomatic missions.
The 'Sich' Secret
Always check if you used 'mir', 'dir', or 'sich'. Without the reflexive pronoun, the sentence sounds like you are talking about a real football match.
Not for Tragedies
Don't use this if someone has a real accident or serious illness. It sounds like you are blaming them for something trivial.
Meaning
To harm oneself or one's own cause through one's actions.
The 'Sich' Secret
Always check if you used 'mir', 'dir', or 'sich'. Without the reflexive pronoun, the sentence sounds like you are talking about a real football match.
Not for Tragedies
Don't use this if someone has a real accident or serious illness. It sounds like you are blaming them for something trivial.
Sports Talk
Germans love sports metaphors. If you use this, you'll immediately sound more like a native speaker.
Test Yourself
Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Form von 'sich' (Dativ) und 'schießen'.
Ich habe ______ mit meiner frechen Antwort ein Eigentor ______.
The reflexive pronoun for 'ich' in Dative is 'mir', and the Partizip II of 'schießen' is 'geschossen'.
Welche Situation beschreibt ein 'Eigentor'?
Szenario: Thomas möchte seine Freundin beeindrucken...
An 'Eigentor' is an action intended to be positive or helpful that backfires.
Verbinde die Satzteile.
Satzanfänge und Enden
These pairings create logically and grammatically correct sentences.
Was sagt Anna?
Ben: 'Ich habe dem Chef gesagt, dass ich den Bericht schon fertig habe, obwohl ich noch nicht angefangen habe.' Anna: 'Oh nein, Ben! ______'
Ben lied to his boss, which will likely backfire when the boss asks to see the report.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Eigentor vs. Fettnäpfchen
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIch habe ______ mit meiner frechen Antwort ein Eigentor ______.
The reflexive pronoun for 'ich' in Dative is 'mir', and the Partizip II of 'schießen' is 'geschossen'.
Szenario: Thomas möchte seine Freundin beeindrucken...
An 'Eigentor' is an action intended to be positive or helpful that backfires.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These pairings create logically and grammatically correct sentences.
Ben: 'Ich habe dem Chef gesagt, dass ich den Bericht schon fertig habe, obwohl ich noch nicht angefangen habe.' Anna: 'Oh nein, Ben! ______'
Ben lied to his boss, which will likely backfire when the boss asks to see the report.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt's understood, but 'schießen' is the standard idiomatic verb. 'Machen' sounds like a non-native translation.
No, it's generally lighthearted or critical of a mistake, but not an insult.
Yes, in German it is a compound noun: Eigen + Tor.
Better not. Use 'ein Fehler unterlaufen' or 'unvorteilhaft' in very formal writing.
No, companies, governments, and even AI models can 'shoot an own goal'.
Die Eigentore. 'Wir haben uns mehrere Eigentore geschossen.'
Not really. A 'goal' is positive, but 'Eigentor' is always negative.
Das wäre fast ein Eigentor gewesen.
Yes, it's universal in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
'Fettnäpfchen' is for social embarrassment; 'Eigentor' is for any mistake that hurts your own goals.
Related Phrases
ins Fettnäpfchen treten
similarTo put one's foot in it / social gaffe
den Ast absägen, auf dem man sitzt
similarTo saw off the branch you are sitting on
ins eigene Knie schießen
synonymTo shoot oneself in the knee
nach hinten losgehen
similarTo backfire
sich um Kopf und Kragen reden
specialized formTo talk oneself into deep trouble
