How do you say “Cut to the chase” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is zur Sache kommen, which literally means “to come to the matter”. English speakers use cut to the chase to mean get directly to the main point without wasting time on unimportant details. "Zur Sache kommen" is the standard idiomatic way native German speakers express getting straight to the point. It works equally well in casual conversations and professional meetings. It is informal, neutral and common in everyday German.
Closest natural German
zur Sache kommen
[tsuːɐ̯ ˈzaxə ˈkɔmən]
- Literal meaning
- “to come to the matter”
- Register
- informal, neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
The English idiom "cut to the chase" originated in the early days of cinema, where film editors were advised to skip dull exposition and cut straight to the thrilling chase scene. In German, the closest everyday equivalent is "zur Sache kommen," which traces its roots back to legal proceedings where the *Sache* refers to the substantive matter or case before the court.
Despite their different origins, both idioms serve the exact same conversational function: urging someone to skip preamble and address the core issue. In German, it is frequently used as a mildly impatient imperative ("Komm zur Sache!") or in professional settings accompanied by adverbs like *direkt* or *gleich* to signal efficiency without sounding overly rude.
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?
auf den Punkt kommen
Literally: “to come to the point”
Equally common; slightly emphasizes conciseness and summarizing quickly.
nicht lange um den heißen Brei herumreden
Literally: “not talk around the hot porridge for long”
Negated idiom meaning to stop beating around the bush.
Tacheles reden
Literally: “to speak Tacheles (Yiddish for purpose)”
Informal; focuses more on speaking candidly and without sugarcoating.
Don't translate it literally
zur Jagd schneiden / zur Verfolgungsjagd schneiden
A nonsensical literal translation of the American film editing metaphor that has no meaning in German.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in German, not as expressions.
In context
English
We don't have much time, so let's cut to the chase.
German
Wir haben nicht viel Zeit, also lass uns direkt zur Sache kommen.
English
Could you please cut to the chase and tell me what happened?
German
Könntest du bitte zur Sache kommen und mir sagen, was passiert ist?
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11
