01
der Brass
anger
A colloquial expression for great anger, annoyance, or rage.
example
Er hatte einen riesigen Brass auf seinen Nachbarn, weil der immer so laut war.
He was really angry at his neighbor because he was always so loud.
der Brass
anger / brass
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
You can often recognize the meaning 'Wut' (anger) from the fixed expression 'einen Brass auf jemanden haben' (to be angry at someone). The musical meaning, by contrast, appears in the context of instruments, bands, or musical styles.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe einen Brass, weil mein Zug schon wieder Verspätung hat.
I'm angry because my train is delayed again.
Fixed expression (anger)
The colloquial meaning 'Wut' (anger) is almost always used in the fixed expression 'einen Brass auf jemanden/etwas haben' (to be angry at someone/something). The person one is angry at is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat einen riesigen Brass auf ihren Chef.
She is really angry at her boss.
Register: colloquial
The expression 'einen Brass haben' (to be angry) is purely colloquial. It is not used in formal or written contexts.
EXAMPLE
Komm, beruhige dich, es lohnt sich nicht, deswegen so einen Brass zu haben.
Come on, calm down, it's not worth getting so angry about it.
Typical collocations (music)
In a musical context, 'Brass' is often part of compounds such as 'Brass-Band' (a band consisting only of brass players), 'Brass-Sektion' (the brass section in an orchestra), or 'Brass-Sound' (brass sound).
EXAMPLE
Mir gefällt der typische Brass-Sound aus New Orleans.
I like the typical brass sound from New Orleans.
Compare with
Brass vs Ärger
annoyance / trouble
'der Ärger' and 'der Brass' can both describe a feeling of anger or annoyance. 'Ärger' is the general and very common word. It fits many everyday situations. 'Brass' is colloquial and usually means strong annoyance or great anger. The word is not equally common in every region and sounds much more informal. If you want to speak neutrally, 'Ärger' is safer. 'Brass' fits better when someone is very angry and you are speaking casually.
Brass
Sie hatte richtig Brass, als sie die kaputte Tür gesehen hat.
She was really angry when she saw the broken door.
Ärger
Im Kurs gab es Ärger, weil mehrere Teilnehmer zu spät kamen.
There was trouble in the course because several participants arrived late.
In real life
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