How do you say “Bite the bullet” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is In den sauren Apfel beißen, which literally means “To bite into the sour apple”. English speakers use bite the bullet to mean to accept something unpleasant that cannot be avoided, and get on with it. Very common and used in exactly the same situations as the English. It is informal, neutral and common in everyday German.
Closest natural German
In den sauren Apfel beißen
/ɪn deːn ˈzaʊʁən ˈapfəl ˈbaɪsən/
- Literal meaning
- “To bite into the sour apple”
- Register
- informal, neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
Both idioms describe accepting something unpleasant that cannot be avoided, and both keep the image in the mouth.
The German is if anything slightly more common in everyday speech, and it works equally well at work and at home.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
Die Zähne zusammenbeißen
Literally: “To bite your teeth together”
Emphasises enduring pain rather than making a decision.
Sich einen Ruck geben
Literally: “To give yourself a jolt”
About overcoming hesitation and finally acting.
Don't translate it literally
In die Kugel beißen
The literal translation is meaningless in German and sounds like a mistranslated film subtitle.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in German, not as expressions.
In context
English
We bit the bullet and replaced the system.
German
Wir haben in den sauren Apfel gebissen und das System ersetzt.
English
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
German
Manchmal muss man einfach in den sauren Apfel beißen.
Related expressions
- What “Bite the bullet” means in English
- Get cold feet, To become nervous and back out.
- A blessing in disguise, A misfortune that turns out well.
Last reviewed 2026-09-11