Pech haben
Example: Gestern habe ich Pech gehabt und den Bus verpasst.
Definition
"Pech haben" is a German expression meaning to experience bad luck or an unfortunate event. It is commonly used to describe situations where things do not go as planned, such as missing a bus or encountering unforeseen difficulties.
Etymology
The phrase "Pech haben" literally translates to "to have pitch" or "to have resin," where "Pech" originally referred to a sticky substance like tar or pitch. Over time, it became associated metaphorically with bad luck or misfortune in German. Did you know that the expression evokes the idea of being stuck or trapped, much like how pitch is sticky?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Pech haben" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 107 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select German as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
