Schnapsidee
crazy idea, harebrained scheme (literally: schnapps idea)
Intermediate Noun Feminine
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Pronunciation
/ˈʃnapsʔiˌdeː/
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Cultural Note
A 'Schnapsidee' is an idea so absurd it could only have been conceived while drunk on schnapps. Germans love this compound word for dismissing poorly thought-out plans. It's used humorously in everyday speech and isn't considered crude. The word perfectly captures the German talent for combining humor with precision.
📝 Example Sentences
Das war ja wohl eine Schnapsidee!
That was obviously a crazy idea!
Wer hatte denn diese Schnapsidee?
Who came up with this harebrained scheme?
Betrunken um drei Uhr morgens Möbel umstellen — typische Schnapsidee.
Rearranging furniture drunk at 3 AM — typical Schnapsidee.