crazy / nuts
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crazy / nuts
(Colloquial, derogatory) Crazy, stupid, or not in one's right mind. Often used in the phrase 'jemanden birne machen' (to drive someone crazy).
Der Lärm von der Baustelle macht mich noch ganz birne.
The noise from the construction site is going to drive me completely nuts.
The adjective 'birne' (crazy/nuts) is derived from the noun 'die Birne' (pear). 'Birne' is also a colloquial word for 'head'. So when someone is 'birne' (crazy/nuts), something is not right with their head.
Von der ganzen Rechnerei ist mir der Kopf ganz birne geworden.
All that calculating has made my head go completely nuts.
This adjective is invariable and is only used predicatively (after a verb like 'sein' (to be) or 'werden' (to become)) or adverbially. You cannot put it before a noun and decline it.
Nach der langen Party war er am nächsten Tag total birne.
After the long party, he was totally out of it the next day.
The word is often used in fixed expressions. Very common are 'jemanden birne machen' (to drive someone crazy) and 'ganz birne sein/werden' (to be/become completely confused).
Hör auf mit dem Lärm, du machst mich noch ganz birne!
Stop making that noise, you're going to drive me completely nuts!
'Birne' (crazy/nuts) is a very informal colloquial word. Use it only in casual conversations with friends or family, not in formal or written contexts.
Die Hitze macht mich heute echt birne.
The heat is really making me feel crazy today.
turnip / beet
Birne and Rübe can both be colloquially associated with a person, but they emphasize different things. Birne derogatorily describes someone as crazy or stupid, while Rübe is a humorous term for the human head. Use “Birne” for an insult, and Rübe when referring to the head.
Nach dieser völlig verrückten Idee hielt ihn die Gruppe für eine Birne.
After that completely crazy idea, the group thought he was nuts.
Nach dem langen Arbeitstag brummte ihm die Rübe.
After the long workday, his head was throbbing.
