der Lump
scoundrel
A derogatory, somewhat outdated term for a man who is characterless, dishonorable, or mean; a villain or rogue.
EXAMPLE
Er hat mich betrogen, dieser Lump!
He cheated me, that scoundrel!
der Lump
scoundrel / rag
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
der Lump
rag
An outdated or dialectal term for a cloth or a torn piece of fabric. This meaning is hardly used today.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Putzen war der alte Lappen nur noch ein Lump.
After the cleaning, the old cloth was nothing but a rag.
Usage tips
False friend
'Der Lump' means 'Schurke' (villain) or 'Halunke' (rogue). It should not be confused with the English word 'lump', which in German is 'der Klumpen' or 'die Beule'.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Lump hat mein ganzes Geld gestohlen!
That scoundrel stole all my money!
Register and style
As an insult, 'Lump' is outdated and is rarely used seriously today. It often sounds somewhat theatrical or like something from an old film.
EXAMPLE
„Verschwinde von meinem Grundstück, du Lump!“, rief der alte Mann.
'Get off my property, you scoundrel!' shouted the old man.
Use as a form of address
The word is often used as a direct form of address or as an exclamation to express outrage. Typical phrases are 'Du Lump!' (you scoundrel!) or 'So ein Lump!' (what a scoundrel!).
EXAMPLE
Er hat mich angelogen? So ein Lump!
He lied to me? What a scoundrel!
Outdated meaning
The meaning 'Stofffetzen' (scrap of fabric) or 'Lappen' (rag) is no longer used in standard German today. You find it almost only in old texts or regional dialects.
EXAMPLE
In dem alten Märchenbuch war von einem Mann in Lumpen die Rede.
In the old book of fairy tales, there was mention of a man in rags.
Compare with
Lump vs Lappen
rag / license / wimp
Both words can be used derogatorily for a man. Lappen emphasizes weakness, cowardice, or lack of energy, while Lump refers to a characterless, dishonorable, or mean man. Use Lappen more for a lack of strength, and Lump for bad behavior or a bad character.
Lump
Er war ein solcher Lump, dass er seinen Freund wegen des Geldes betrog.
He was such a scoundrel that he betrayed his friend for money.
Lappen
Er war ein solcher Lappen, dass er sich nicht traute, seine Meinung zu sagen.
He was such a wimp that he didn't dare express his opinion.
In real life
Loading video examples...