B1 Colloquial Ability

„Er hat nicht das Zeug dazu."

He is not the man for it.

Er hat nicht das Zeug dazu. — German idiom meaning: He is not the man for it. (B1)
Er hat nicht das Zeug dazu. — German idiom reference | DeuTale

What does „Er hat nicht das Zeug dazu." mean in German?

„Er hat nicht das Zeug dazu." means "He is not the man for it.." Literally: "He hasn't the stuff for it.."

Literal Translation

"He hasn't the stuff for it."

Er He
hat hasnt
nicht the
das stuff
Zeug for
dazu it

English Equivalent

"He hasn't got what it takes."

This English idiom conveys the same meaning as the German expression.

Grammar Notes

'das Zeug haben zu' = to have what it takes

When is this idiom used?

Colloquial

This expression is used in everyday spoken German in casual and semi-formal settings.

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