Meaning
Expresses strong approval or describes something as extreme or impressive.
Cultural Background
In Berlin, 'voll krass' is almost a punctuation mark. It reflects the city's fast-paced, gritty, and direct attitude. Rappers like Bushido and Sido popularized 'krass' in the early 2000s, cementing it as a staple of urban German identity. While understood, people in the south might use 'arg' or 'heftig' more often, but 'voll krass' is still very common among young people there. On German TikTok and Instagram, 'voll krass' is the standard comment for any viral stunt or shocking news story.
The 'Wow' Rule
If you would say 'Wow' in English, you can almost always say 'Voll krass' in German.
Watch your Boss
Never use this with your boss unless you are 100% sure they use it too. It can sound unprofessional.
Meaning
Expresses strong approval or describes something as extreme or impressive.
The 'Wow' Rule
If you would say 'Wow' in English, you can almost always say 'Voll krass' in German.
Watch your Boss
Never use this with your boss unless you are 100% sure they use it too. It can sound unprofessional.
Adjective Endings
If you use it before a noun, don't forget the ending! 'Ein krasser Typ', not 'Ein krass Typ'.
Tone Matters
A high-pitched 'Voll krass!' is positive. A low, slow 'Voll... krass...' usually means you are shocked or even a bit disgusted.
Test Yourself
Which is the most natural way to react to a friend's amazing news in a cafe?
Mein {der|m} Bruder hat im {der|m} Lotto gewonnen!
In a casual setting with a friend, 'Voll krass!' is the most authentic and high-energy reaction.
Complete the sentence with the correct adjective ending.
Das war ein voll ______ {der|m} Film gestern Abend!
Since '{der|m} Film' is masculine and in the nominative case after 'ein', the adjective 'krass' needs the '-er' ending.
Match the situation to the most likely use of 'voll krass'.
Situation: You see a car accident where no one is hurt but the cars are destroyed.
'Voll krass' is used here to express the intensity and shock of the scene.
Complete the dialogue between two teenagers.
A: Hast du die {die|f} neuen Schuhe von Max gesehen? B: Ja, die sind ____ ____!
Teenagers are most likely to use 'voll krass' to describe something they find cool or impressive.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Formality Levels
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMein {der|m} Bruder hat im {der|m} Lotto gewonnen!
In a casual setting with a friend, 'Voll krass!' is the most authentic and high-energy reaction.
Das war ein voll ______ {der|m} Film gestern Abend!
Since '{der|m} Film' is masculine and in the nominative case after 'ein', the adjective 'krass' needs the '-er' ending.
Situation: You see a car accident where no one is hurt but the cars are destroyed.
'Voll krass' is used here to express the intensity and shock of the scene.
A: Hast du die {die|f} neuen Schuhe von Max gesehen? B: Ja, die sind ____ ____!
Teenagers are most likely to use 'voll krass' to describe something they find cool or impressive.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNot inherently, but it is very informal. It's like saying 'damn' or 'hell' in a non-swearing way to mean 'very'.
Yes! It is extremely common in WhatsApp, often shortened to just 'krass'.
No, 'krass' works perfectly fine on its own. 'Voll' just adds extra 'oomph'.
Mostly, but people up to their 40s and 50s use it now because they grew up with it in the 90s.
There isn't a direct slang opposite, but you could say 'voll langweilig' (totally boring) or 'nichts Besonderes' (nothing special).
Yes! If a burger is incredibly big or tasty, you can say 'Der {der|m} Burger ist voll krass'.
No, it is used all over Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Yes. 'Ein krasser Typ' can mean a guy who is very cool, very weird, or very talented.
As an exclamation, no. As an adjective, yes: 'Das sind krasse {die|f} Leute'.
It's just different. 'Mega' is very popular right now and sounds slightly more modern than 'voll'.
Related Phrases
echt fett
similarReally cool/fat
der Wahnsinn
synonymThe madness / insanity
geil
similarCool / Awesome
heftig
similarHeavy / Intense
abgefahren
similarCrazy / Out there
