How do you say “Do someone’s head in” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is jemanden wahnsinnig machen, which literally means “to make someone crazy”. English speakers use do someone’s head in to mean to make someone feel very annoyed, confused or mentally overwhelmed. A familiar German exaggeration for intense irritation. It also works when confusion becomes frustrating. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
jemanden wahnsinnig machen
/ˈjeːmandn̩ ˈvaːnzɪnɪç ˌmaxn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to make someone crazy”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
93 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Das macht mich wahnsinnig” conveys that you have had enough. It does not usually describe an actual illness.
For confusion without irritation, “Das verwirrt mich” is more precise. Use the stronger wording when the difficulty is getting to you.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
That dripping tap is doing my head in.
German
Dieser tropfende Wasserhahn macht mich wahnsinnig.
English
These instructions are doing my head in; every diagram seems to contradict the last one.
German
Diese Anleitung macht mich wahnsinnig; jede Zeichnung scheint der vorherigen zu widersprechen.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-13