“Das Crazy” Crowned German Youth Word of the Year 2025
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Nearly two million votes were cast as “das crazy” narrowly edged out competitors to become the German Youth Word of the Year for 2025, signaling a shift in how young people express themselves and reflecting the ongoing influence of English on German vernacular.The announcement was made live at the Frankfurt Book Fair by Langenscheidt-Verlag, the publisher behind the annual selection.
A Narrow Victory for “Das Crazy”
The winning term, receiving 35.7 percent of the vote, beat out “goonen” – a slang term for masturbation – which garnered 35.5 percent.”Checkst du,” a phrase used to confirm understanding, rounded out the top three. The competition highlights the dynamic nature of youth language and the
‘s innovative use of “crazy” – a word already common in youth language – in an elliptical form, without a verb.
Nikolas Hoenig, marketing director at Pons Langenscheidt, observed that the election “once again shows the unbroken influence of the English language and the trend towards shortening.” “Das crazy,” therefore, encapsulates the current zeitgeist, which is precisely the goal of the annual selection.
A “Cult Announcer” Embraces the New term
Susanne Daubner, a well-known news anchor for “Tagesschau,” traditionally explains the Youth Word of the Year on social media. Daubner described the expression as a way to convey that something is “crass,” even offering a hypothetical example: “Such as, if I were to start a rap career now.”
Initially hesitant, Daubner admitted to warming up to the phrase. “It has something to it,” she said. “I think I would say ‘crazy.’ But the more frequently enough I say ‘das crazy’ to myself, the more I actually think it’s good – maybe I’ll add it to my vocabulary too.” Daubner’s continued involvement is a testament to her popularity,as fans previously protested a plan for her to step down from the role. In 2021, she famously explained the word “Cringe” with a deliberately formal tone, stating, “”Cringe” is the feeling you have when I say the following sentence: “Digga, how fly is the “tagesschau” when it uses youth words.””
Voting and Selection Process
The selection process, which began in late May, was open exclusively to individuals aged 11 to 20. A publisher spokesperson confirmed that nearly two million votes were cast online, emphasizing the importance of truthful age declarations. Offensive, racist, or discriminatory terms, and also those suspected of being part of coordinated campaigns, were removed in advance.
A tradition As 2008
Langenscheidt-Verlag has been selecting the Youth Word of the Year since 2008, with “Gammelfleischparty” (over-30 party) taking the title in the inaugural year. more recently, “aura” – describing a person’s charisma – won in 2024, and “goofy” – denoting clumsiness or silliness – was selected in 2023. The age restriction for voting was implemented in 2020.
The Evolving Landscape of language
According to Bahlo, the adoption of youth language by adults can often appear “ingratiating,” but he also emphasized the long-term influence of youth vernacular on broader societal language. “Our current colloquial language is congealed youth language from the last decades,” he explained, citing words like “great” and “crazy” as examples of terms that originated in youth culture.
“Das crazy” represents not just a new phrase, but a continuing evolution of language, shaped by the experiences and expressions of Germany’s young people.
