A2 Colloquial Misfortune

„Er hat Pech."

He is in hard luck.

Er hat Pech. — German idiom meaning: He is in hard luck. (A2)
Er hat Pech. — German idiom reference | DeuTale

What does „Er hat Pech." mean in German?

„Er hat Pech." means "He is in hard luck.." Literally: "He has pitch.."

Literal Translation

"He has pitch."

Er He
hat has
Pech pitch

English Equivalent

"He's out of luck."

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

Grammar Notes

'Pech haben' = to have bad luck

When is this idiom used?

Colloquial

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

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