pest
der Quälgeist, die Quälgeister
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pest
A person or animal that constantly bothers, annoys, or gets on other people's nerves.
Der kleine Bruder ist heute ein echter Quälgeist und lässt mich nicht in Ruhe.
My little brother is a real pest today and won't leave me alone.
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Quälgeister |
| genitive | des Quälgeistes |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Quälgeist | die Quälgeister |
| accusative | den Quälgeist | die Quälgeister |
| dative | dem Quälgeist | den Quälgeistern |
| genitive | des Quälgeistes des Quälgeists | der Quälgeister |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Quälgeist' is made up of 'quäl-' from 'quälen' (to torment) and 'Geist' (spirit). The word figuratively portrays an annoying person or animal as a 'spirit' that torments others.
Der Nachbarshund ist manchmal ein richtiger Quälgeist.
The neighbor's dog can sometimes be a real pest.
'Quälgeist' is mainly colloquial and usually sounds humorous or mildly disparaging. The word is often used when someone is bothersome but is not considered truly dangerous or malicious.
Meine Katze kann am frühen Morgen ein echter Quälgeist sein.
My cat can be a real pest early in the morning.
'Quälgeist' frequently occurs with 'sein' (to be) or 'werden' (to become) and is further described with intensifiers such as 'echter' (real), 'kleiner' (little), or 'ständiger' (constant). It is also commonly used in situations where someone won't leave others alone.
Nach einer Stunde im Auto wurde der kleine Junge für seine Eltern zum Quälgeist.
After an hour in the car, the little boy had become a pest to his parents.
