A2 Colloquial Misfortune
„Er hat Pech."
He is in hard luck.
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.
Related Words
Quick Quiz — Test Yourself
Test your knowledge of Er hat Pech.
Related Idioms
„Wer A sagt, muß auch B sagen."
In for a penny, in for a pound.
„Er kommt ab und zu."
He comes now and then.
„Er ist das Abbild (von) seiner Mutter."
He is the very image of his mother.
„Ich kann heute nicht abkommen."
I can't get away (off) today.
„Die Uhr ist abgelaufen."
The clock has run down.
„Wie wird das ablaufen?"
How will this turn out?