Asche
wrecked
Colloquial for broken, destroyed, or unusable.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Sturz vom Tisch war mein Handy komplett Asche.
After falling off the table, my phone was completely wrecked.
die Asche
wrecked / exhausted
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Meanings
Asche
exhausted
Colloquial for completely exhausted, tired, or done in.
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Wanderung war ich abends total Asche.
After the long hike, I was totally exhausted in the evening.
Usage tips
Origin of the word
The adjective 'Asche' (wrecked / exhausted) comes from the noun 'die Asche' (ash). The figurative idea is that something has burned to ash — meaning it is completely destroyed or used up.
EXAMPLE
Die alte Festplatte ist leider Asche, alle Daten sind weg.
Unfortunately, the old hard drive is wrecked; all the data is gone.
Sentence structure
This adjective is used almost exclusively predicatively, meaning after a verb like 'sein' (to be). Using it directly before a noun (attributively) is unusual.
EXAMPLE
Ich glaube, der Toaster ist Asche.
I think the toaster is wrecked.
Register: colloquial language
'Asche' (wrecked / exhausted) in this use clearly belongs to colloquial language. It should be avoided in formal or written contexts.
EXAMPLE
Boah, ich bin so was von Asche, ich geh direkt ins Bett.
Man, I am so completely exhausted; I'm going straight to bed.
Context clue
The exact meaning depends on the subject. If 'Asche' (wrecked / exhausted) refers to a person, it means 'exhausted'. If it refers to an object, it means 'broken'.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Marathon war der Läufer komplett Asche.
After the marathon, the runner was completely exhausted.
In real life
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