German word

mies

Pronunciation

IPA/miːs/

Meaning

  • adjectivelousy

Example

Ich habe einen miesen Tag.

I'm having a lousy day.

Illustration for mies (lousy)

More examples

Der Film machte einen miesen Eindruck.

The film made a lousy impression.

Core concept

A situation feels distinctly below acceptable, leaving a strong sense of disappointment or discomfort.

Common phrases

  • einen miesen Eindruck machen

    make a lousy impression

  • in mieser Stimmung sein

    be in a lousy mood

Similar words

schlecht: Indicating poor quality or an unsatisfactory condition.
furchtbar: Extremely distressing and unpleasant.
schlimm: Indicating a seriously bad or troubling situation.
blöd: Disappointing and unpleasant in casual speech.

Definition in German

umgangssprachliches Adjektiv für etwas, das sehr schlecht, unangenehm oder von schlechter Qualität ist

Word origin

The origin of German 'mies' is uncertain, but the adjective is already attested in Middle High German and has retained a negative sense.

Usage tips

  • As a colloquial adjective, 'mies' suits conversation more than formal writing, where 'schlecht' is usually safer.

Other meanings

  • badadjective
  • unpleasantadjective
  • miserableadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • Miesepetergrouchnoun

Word lists with this word