How do you say “Chicken out” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is kneifen, which literally means “to pinch”. English speakers use chicken out to mean to back out because you are afraid. An informal German verb for backing out through fear. It can be teasing or critical. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
kneifen
/ˈknaɪfn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to pinch”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
96 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Ich habe gekniffen” admits that you lost your nerve. It works for a frightening ride or an awkward social moment.
It does not just mean changing your mind. Calling a cautious decision “kneifen” can unfairly turn it into an accusation of cowardice.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
I reached the roller coaster, looked up and chickened out.
German
Ich stand vor der Achterbahn, sah nach oben und kniff.
English
She wanted to ask him to dance but chickened out at the last moment.
German
Sie wollte ihn zum Tanzen auffordern, kniff aber im letzten Moment.
Related expressions
- What “Chicken out” means in English
- Get cold feet, To become nervous and back out.
Last updated 2026-10-01