01
die Sauerei
mess
A colloquial expression for a big mess, dirt, or filth.
example
Wer hat diese ganze Sauerei in der Küche hinterlassen?
Who left this whole mess in the kitchen?
die Sauerei
mess / outrage
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word formation
The word is made up of 'Sau' (sow/pig) and the ending '-erei'. The ending '-erei' is often used to describe an action or state in a negative, chaotic, or disorderly way.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Party war das ganze Haus eine einzige Sauerei.
After the party, the whole house was one big mess.
Register: colloquial
'Sauerei' is a very strong, colloquial word. Use it only in informal situations and not in formal texts or conversations.
EXAMPLE
Was für eine Sauerei! Jetzt muss ich alles nochmal putzen.
What a mess! Now I have to clean everything all over again.
Typical verbs
When referring to dirt or mess, 'Sauerei' is often combined with the verbs 'machen' (to make), 'hinterlassen' (to leave behind), or 'aufräumen' (to clean up/tidy up).
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder haben mit dem Essen eine riesige Sauerei gemacht.
The children made a huge mess with the food.
Expressing outrage
In the meaning of 'unfaire Handlung' (unfair action), the word is often used as an exclamation of outrage. A typical phrase is: 'Das ist (doch) eine Sauerei!' (That is outrageous!/What an outrage!).
EXAMPLE
Dass wir jetzt mehr arbeiten sollen für das gleiche Geld, ist eine absolute Sauerei.
The fact that we’re now supposed to work more for the same money is an absolute outrage.
Compare with
Sauerei vs Ordnung
order
'die Ordnung' and 'die Sauerei' both describe what a place or thing looks like. Here, however, they are clear opposites. 'Ordnung' means that everything is clean, tidy, and clearly arranged. 'Sauerei' is colloquial and means a serious mess or a lot of dirt. 'Sauerei' sounds much more negative and emotional than 'Unordnung' (mess/disorder). In everyday speech, you say 'Ordnung' when something is orderly, and 'Sauerei' when you are annoyed about dirt or chaos.
Sauerei
Nach dem Backen war die ganze Arbeitsplatte eine einzige Sauerei.
After the baking, the whole countertop was one big mess.
Ordnung
Nach dem Aufräumen herrscht endlich wieder Ordnung in der Küche.
After tidying up, there is finally order in the kitchen again.
In real life
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