verkacken
to screw up
(Colloquial, vulgar) To do something completely wrong, to ruin a task or situation; to make a big mistake.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe die Prüfung total verkackt.
I totally screwed up the exam.
verkacken
to screw up
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Register: colloquial language
This word is very colloquial and is felt to be crude or vulgar. Use it only in informal situations with friends and avoid it in written language or formal conversations.
EXAMPLE
Mist, ich glaube, ich habe es total verkackt.
Damn, I think I totally screwed it up.
Word structure
The verb consists of the prefix 'ver-' and the vulgar verb 'kacken' (to shit). The prefix 'ver-' expresses here that something is done wrong or ruined, which reinforces the negative meaning.
EXAMPLE
Er hat die letzte Frage verkackt und deshalb die Prüfung nicht bestanden.
He screwed up the last question and therefore did not pass the exam.
Sentence structure and usage
'Verkacken' (to screw up) is mostly used transitively with an accusative object that describes what was ruined. The fixed phrase 'es verkacken' (to screw it up) is also very common.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe die Präsentation komplett verkackt.
I completely screwed up the presentation.
Compare with
verkacken vs versagen
to fail / to deny
Both versagen and verkacken can express that someone does not complete a task successfully. Versagen is neutral and is often used without a direct accusative object or with „bei“, while verkacken is colloquial and vulgar and can take the task directly as its object. Use versagen in neutral situations; among friends, verkacken may be appropriate.
verkacken
Beim wichtigen Vortrag verkackte er trotz guter Vorbereitung die Einleitung.
He screwed up the introduction during the important presentation despite having prepared well.
versagen
Beim wichtigen Vortrag versagte er trotz guter Vorbereitung.
He failed during the important presentation despite having prepared well.
In real life
Loading video examples...