What does it mean?
“Der Schlamassel” refers to a complicated and muddled situation that was caused by unfortunate circumstances.
In other words, “Schlamassel” is an unpleasant situation, a cluster-fuck, screw-up or simply a mess.
It's also used with the article "Das", especially in Austria.
READ ALSO: 10 ways of speaking German you'll only ever pick up on the street
Synonyms for “Schlamassel” are “die Ausweglosigkeit” (hopelessness), “die Zwickmühle” (dilemma, predicament), and “die Misslichkeit” (misfortune).
It also compares to the English phrases "to be in a pickle" or "stuck between a rock and a hard place."
What are its origins?
Most likely, “Schlamassel” stems from the Yiddish word “Massel” (fortunate coincidence) and the New High German word “schlimm” (terrible).
Nowadays, this word is used colloquially and mainly in speech.
Examples
“Was für ein Schlamassel!”
“What a mess!”
“Wir haben ein ziemliches Schlamassel verursacht.”
“We have caused quite a mess/ We have made quite a mess of things.”
Comments